So, my laziness rears its’ ugly head once again as my Halloween post comes after Thanksgiving.  My aporigies.  But, I did have a fun time of it, especially with Halloween being on a Friday, giving us two days of revelry.

I of course had a kindergarten party for the Halloween kids.  It was actually the Wednesday after Halloween as my school’s Thursday and Friday classes Halloween week were canceled due to swine flu fears.  We’ve had a couple of kids get it, but thankfully everyone is fine and no teachers have gotten it.  The kids had a “costume contest,” which was more like a fashion show where all the kids showed off their costumes.  My biggest disappointment was the lack of Napoleon costumes this year, we had two last year.  However, we did have a kid come in a homemade shrimp costume, so I’ll call it even.  After the “costume contest” the kids broke into groups and went around to stations.  I made marbled paper with one of my Korean teacher.  We had the kid “bob for candy” (trying to grab candy off a string) and had a haunted house, which lead to a couple of kids crying.  They also went around trick or treating, which was cute, but also left some bad blood between my class and another class who told them to “go away” when they came to the door to trick or treat.  I’ve been collecting chains and sawed off pool cues for the street fight.  I think my class will win handily.  You can see pics from the kindergarten Halloween festivities here.

As for the “adult” Halloween celebration, we had two nights of that.  Both were in Itaewon (the main foreigner district).  Friday was also one of my Korean co-workers.  She is a really nice lady and will be sorely missed, but she’s taking time off to start a family with her husband.  Friday night I went to a Democrats Abroad in Korea (DA-ROK) party.  By the time we got there, it was pretty much over but that did not stop us from having a good time.  Saturday, it was back to Itaewon, only this time it was in full Halloween force.  We saw a lot of good costumes and had a great time overall.  My 70s detective costume came off nicely, with a strong assist from my mustache/mutton chops as well as the ugly 70s tie I got from the Korean dollar store for $2.  For pics from the madness, click here.

In personal news, time keeps on ticking here in Korea.  It’s hard to believe that I’ve been here for sixteen months now.  I think two years in Korea will be enough for me and I’m planning on heading home for a bit to try my hand at grad school.  So, in July the Strange Seouls will go dormant (i.e. not be that strange), but myself and perhaps all of us will be back out into the fray at some point.  I’m heading to a Thanksgiving buffet in fancy town (Gagnam) today and will do some kind of Thanksgiving post soon (before Christmas).  I’ve also been hitting the gym a lot lately to get rid of my “teacher baby” (what the kids call any kind of stomach fat).  If you’re lucky, I’ll post some before and after pics here in a few weeks.  Thanks to everyone who sent Thanksgiving wishes to me on Facebook, they’re very appreciated.  Happy Holidays to one and all from the Land of the Morning Calm/Dynamic Korea.

So, I’m into my second year in Korea and just finished celebrating my second Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving).  Though there were no trips to Hooters (see last year’s Chuseok post), I still had a lot of fun.  This year, my school brought in Hanbok (traditional Korean dress) for all the foreign teachers and we played games with the kids.  You can see my Facebook pictures here.

Other than Chuseok, the big excitement at ECCs across Seoul is upcoming open classes.  This is when all the parents of our kindergarten kids come in and watch a class.  It’s all staged- we practice for weeks.  My class is doing the solar system.  It’s been a hassle as all the staff are really stressed, but everything is finished for my class and my kids have been doing well.  After open class is of course, Halloween.  I’ll be sure to post again with some pictures from school and the aftermath/parties I go to.

I posted last time about being single again.  Getting dumped has been really rough, but I’m getting better with each passing day.  Once again, thanks to everyone back home for their support, as well as my wonderful cast of co-workers, you have been excellent.  I would also like to send out a hearty WHO-DEY to all the Bengals fans out there.  I’ve been keeping up online, thanks to the NFL Network.  As a lifelong Bengals fan, I keep waiting for the bottom to fall out, but I have to say this is the best Bengals team I can remember seeing.  Now only if a meteor could take out the entire Brown family. . .

I promise another post after Halloween.

Here are my pics from Vietnam:

Ho Chi Minh

The Mekong Delta

The Saigon Zoo

The Vietnam War Museum

Unfortunately, I also have some sad news to impart.  I am now single again, though not by choice.  I want to thank everybody who’ve already given me a lot of support.  It’s pretty rough right now but I’ll get through it and solider on for another year here in Korea.   I promise to post again in less than six months!

PS- It was brought to my attention that the link to the pictures from my brother’s wedding was bad.  I’ve fixed it, sorry for that.

The Strange Seouls recently had a visit from some very special world travelers: JT Dragon, Educator to the Chi-town Munchkins, and Sire Sammy, Holder of the Candy Cane Camera.  These two college colleagues spent two weeks taking in the sights of Seoul. They visited palaces, a baseball game, a kindergarten song festival, and, best of all, the Strange Seouls. 

Spending Sire Sammy’s birthday in Itaewon, the Strange Seouls gathered at a popular hookah bar with some Korean friends.  It was a good beginning to the journey, as it would be filled with booze, laughter and adorable photo ops. 

After a few more nights in Seoul, the couple headed off for Jeju Island, the land of romance.   The island was a very special trip for the two and they returned with a lovely souvenir, even if it was at the cost of some sandals.  They then returned to their Strange Seouls and continued the sight-seeing and entertainment.  After a Noraebang in a small setting, the Strange Seouls invited their Korean co-workers to come and join Sire Sammy and The Dragon for a few drinks and a sing-song.  It was a magnificent night that included Ace of Base, The Village People, New Kid on the Block, Madonna and much much more. 

Thank you very much for your visit, worldly travelers. We enjoyed your company and the reminders of Chicago that came with your visit.

No hotdogs or peanuts and if you want a beer you need to stumble down the narrow stairs and through the crowds to get it, making this an altogether different ballgame. But you can leave the stadium to visit the Domino’s Pizza, KFC and Burger King just through the gates, and best of all you can bring in all three at the same time, in copious amounts that just scream, ”Hey Look at me. I’m a fat Democracy-lovin’ American.”  Then you can gorge on said American delicacies while knocking back more Korean beer and doing the wave. They do indeed have the wave here. They also have a chant to the tune of Puff the Magic Dragon!?! We added a little Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the nonexistent 7th inning stretch(they do theirs after the 5th) and badda-bing-badda-boom we’d made a little bit of the good ol’ USA right here in Asialand. Thanks to all the fans who didn’t understand all our horrible English heckling and to the makers of Hite beer for making this wonderful 4th of July possible. See ya soon America!

Now the Strange Seouls have really begun to mark off some of the sites to see where the American Military is concerned.  Visiting the DMZ and crossing over to Commie North Korea and God-fearing Seoul, traveling around Commie China, sight-seeing in Commie Vietnam, the Strange Seouls decided it was time to stop by the army bases that defend our freedoms from cruel communist encroachment. 

Already having been to the Yongsan base in Seoul thanks to a freedom fighter who is now working hard in Afghanistan, the Strange Seouls made their way to the Osan Air Base, south of Seoul.  The base is in Songtan a small town filled with the necessary amenities for our American troops serving abroad: prostitution dens, nightclubs, hookah bars, street hawkers, and American fast-food restaurants.  Plus, each business is fully staffed with English-speaking Koreans waiting for you to spend the American taxpayers hard earned dollars.

Our freedom fighter at the Osan Air Base is a gentleman who goes by the name “Princess.”  It’s a long story…  Needless to say, he knew all of the best restaurants in the area and then took us on base to breathe fresh American air.  Of course, there is the usual overwhelming joy when a red-blooded Hoosier steps onto an army base and sees Taco Bell, KFC and other 5-star eateries providing their cuisine to the troops, but to have the opportunity to purchase American underwear was the real cherry on top. 

After spending American money on American soil, the Strange Seouls headed out to the streets of Songtan for some good ol’ fashioned army town antics.  A local hookah bar where customers blew smoke bubbles around the bar was the first stop.  Then, Princess took us to a club and we spent the rest of the evening with loud bass music and drinks.  It was a lovely journey made all the lovlier thanks to Princess and his Canadian overseer, Nadine “The Bully” Monster.  Oh, and one extra little note Ms. Monster hurt her arm recently and is resting up.  The Strange Seouls wish her a safe and speedy recovery, even if she is a cold-blooded Canadian Monster.

The two wonderful people you see pictured on the left are two friends of the Strange Seouls.  They introduced the Strange Seouls to Nami Island, a famous island retreat for Koreans.  The Island is known for being the setting for an extremely successful romantic television show. In fact, the very bench these lucky souls are sitting on once held the tookis’ of the two main characters from the program.

Besides breathtaking natural sights for the eyes to enjoy, Nami Island has other intriguing treats for the visitors. The Strange Seouls enjoyed their first ever Segway ride, they road a small scenic roller-bike contraption (We peddled along a track while trying to take pictures of the tiny train that went around the island), and some really serious bird-watching (giant camera and tripod not provided).  The Strange Seouls really enjoyed having an outdoor picnic with their friends. It was a beautiful retreat from the fast-paced life of a Seoulite.  We highly recommend anyone with the time to visit Nami Island and bring a Rummikub set to enjoy as well.

Thank you very much to our two Korean companions for showing us such wonderful sights.  If you would like to see some for yourself then just click ===> H E R E

It is a sad day in the Land of the Morning Calm.  Sam-teacher (pictured on the right) and Tanja-teacher (the whitey pictured on the left surrounded by Koreans) are returning to their frozen hellscape of Canada.  They are finished with their contracts and it is time for them to go home.  They likely miss their Tim Horton’s and maple syrup, so I guess it is not all bad. 

The Strange Seouls are very sad to be losing their mentors from YBM-ECC.  Sam was the first person to take us to a meal in Korea…he took us to the BEST galbi restaurant we’ve had in Korea.  Dr. Lane, as he is known to his followers, will likely return to his street performing position in Canada.  He is a famous white rapper from North Bay (famous for Canada anyway, I think 15 people know him).  Sam will be missed by his multitude of kindergarten students. 

Tanja, the real veteran of ECC, has just completed her last stint at ECC.  She’s had a four-and-a-half year run at ECC.  She knows how to whip 5-8 year old kids into shape using English and her repertoire of songs.  She is thinking about going on Canadian Idol and attempting to win with her rendition of “Faces, Happy Faces.”  So, be on the lookout for the next Canadian-American crossover. 

You will be missed.  We are very sad that you’ve left us.  But, we know Canada will be happy to receive its children into its cold, Socialist embrace.

For those who would like to see the 8 hour drink-fest that was their going-away party, click H E R E

If you want to see some photos click H E R E