Jan 31, 2009

Soft Focus II



"Come with soft focus as we rediscover the promise of rock and rolll."
- Ian Svenonius

Yangsan winter camp

As all of us public teachers must, I took part in a "winter camp" two weeks ago. I started out dreading the experience. I wanted my vacation, and working half days in the city had not allowed that to happen. So now you're telling me I have to sleep in a college dorm in hilly, rural Korea, and teach 8 hour shifts for a week? This was the prognosis, and it seemed grim to me.

The reality was totally different. It turned out that I really needed a break from Ulsan city life; a little fresh air to do me good. Most importantly, I loved the kids. They all more or less wanted to be there. Furthermore, I found that my colloquial, high-energy brand of teaching gave these kids a break from the the more rigid instruction they had received in the past. I suppose you could call it mutual admiration society. We both appreciated each other's desire to please.

I've not any GREAT stories from the experience, but I've not any terrible ones either. The Yangsan winter camp gave me a perfect, steady, work filled few days before the onslaught of chaos known as Tokyo (posts forthcoming).

Downtown Yangsan

the dorms


Jan 22, 2009

Teetering on the edge of Ilbon.

I will be in Tokyo in less than 24 hours and I can't quantify how excited I am. It's been a solid, work-filled, three months since I bought my ticket. Korea has actually presented me with a number of instances in which I have to wait long stretches of time with one thing on the brain. Tokyo, for example, lingered in my mind every day of those months, much in the same way that my father's visit consumed me for some time prior, and also in the same way I think about returning to the US almost everyday. The latter example, of course, is the mother load of my long term pondering. Just imagine thinking about one thing everyday for a whole year. It's a heady thought.

Anyway, I will return to work not long after I finish Tokyo, so, in a sense, this vacation signals the end of my "winter vacation." I en quote the previous phrase because I actually worked 4 out of the 5 weeks off we had, though I'm not complaining... sort of. Completing Tokyo very much feels to me as if it's the half way point of my trip. In thinking so, I'm forced to look back upon some of the things I've accomplished in the last 5.5 months. It's been absolutely amazing. I'll wait until the actual 1/2 way point to list my experiences, but in their absence, let me just say how proud I am that I made this decision for myself. I'm not usually one to boast, but as far as grown up, big boy decisions, I can at least say that I'm 1 for 1. Thanks Korea, and here's to a joyous 6.5 months ahead!

Soft Focus


Ian Svenonius, a man with bad teeth and a mythically awesome last name, hosts an online talk show called Soft Focus that I can't get enough of. I'm not really sure whether the joke is on me, the interview subject, or Svenonius himself. He must know how pompous he sounds. Right? Either way, he is perhaps one of the "best" interviewers I've seen in years. This interview with Will Oldham (Palace Music, Bonnie Prince Billy) is my favorite of the series. I believe I'm going to start posting these as I find them. Let me know what you think.

Dog's don't sound like this.


We in the west immediately think "dog" when confronted with the sound "woof woof." This is curiously not the case in Korea. No, Koreans know no such thing as woof woof. They prefer "mung mung" when referring to their canines. I'm not sure anyone will ever clear that one with me.

Jan 21, 2009

Korean Gertrude = ?


(I only include Ms. Winehouse because I think she is everything that is ugly.)
Today I had an activity that necessitated creating a name for a speaking character. I figured why not, and I asked my class to give me really ugly Korean name. Of course almost all Korean names start with a family name (usually Park, Lee, Chung, or Cho) followed by two one-syllable names that essentially comprise the first name. For example, here are some of the names of Koreans I've befriended: Cho Eun Jung, Choi Won Seock, Park Hyun Ji, Lee Sun Jung, Kim Hyun Yun. To the uninitiated westerner these names might sound, gulp, similar or confusing at the least. Needless to say I was curious what kind of horror these kids would pull out of the maze of vowels that make up Korean names.

After some deliberation, the biggest personalities in the class, and therefore the conductors, decided on a name: Meng gu. I didn't think it was so bad. I've certainly heard Korean names more distasteful to my western auditory pallet. But sure enough everyone in the class agreed that this was a name of serious ill repute. So there you have it world. And to all the Meng gu's out there, I guess I'm really sorry. Your parents are just assholes.

Jan 20, 2009

Coffee with Chin gyu.

I make the same walk to and from work everyday. I'm stoic and mostly focused on the up hill in the mornings, but in the afternoon I'm really a very jovial walker. I try to toss out as many waves and "hello's" as I can. Listen, I'm not above what a novelty I must be to some of the Korean folks in my neighborhood. The comparison to be made, in my opinion, is if a 7-foot man with a 1-foot afro gave me a jolly wave hello whilst I was a child growing up in the burbs. Clearly I am not taller than 6 feet, and my hair is decidedly normal, but hopefully you get the point.

So anyway, there's a few people I try to greet everyday. One is the lady who runs the mart on the corner. Another is the diminutive, flamboyant man who seems to be a seamstress of sorts. The other is a slight man who runs the photo shop on another corner. Him and I have actually met before. He oversaw the photo sessions for my registration card and international drivers license. I'd like to think we hit it off after those encounters, so about three weeks ago I started giving him a smile/wave.

Today was no different... until he summoned me to join him in his shop. He immediately poured me a cup of weak coffee, pulled out a chair, and introduced himself as Chin gyu. He shook my hand firmly, which many Korean men never do. I felt good. At first I thought he might need help with something, but I quickly realized he was just being courteous, and perhaps a little curious as well. There wasn't much to talk about. His English was meager at best. But I think we both jived off each other's excitement to be in such a irregular position. In the end, we discussed the work he did on yearbooks for many of Ulsan's schools. I'm not kidding when I say this man is a layout master. I was quite saddened when he told me that my school did not employ him for theirs. It's your loss Mipo Elementary.

I smiled ear to ear for the rest of my walk home. I must imagine it took balls for Chin gyu to invite me in, as it meant that he had to put his limited english on display. I wish he knew that it wouldn't have mattered to me if we just sat their in silence. Either way, I hope I gave his day as big a jolt as he gave mine.

My Inauguration Experience


Yesterday's swearing in of President Obama provided many people, all around the world, with once-in-a-lifetime moments. While I was not in my native Washington D.C., I was privy to the inauguration from perhaps the oddest of places: the back of a taxi.

Let me explain. I had no intention of watching it. 12pm D.C. time - when the whole shebang was to go down - is 2 am Korea time, and not a time I wished to see what with my 7:30 am wake up call. So I decided on checking out "Defiance" at one of Ulsan's lovely cinemas. The movie ended around 10:30, and disappointed with its general lackluster, my friend and I decided to grab a beer. Though we both only ended up taking down two drinks, we found ourselves stumbling out of this watering hole at the ripe our of 1:45. She, being a Korean, had her car. Me, living in the absolute opposite direction, and being a general western pauper, had to grab a taxi back to my little beach hamlet.

I immediately noticed that the driver - like so many Korean cabbies - was in the middle of a program on his in-car tv set. Nothing unusual. But wait! Then he turns to me and says, "Oh oh, yes, Obama Obama." Only then do I notice he's watching a live feed of the inaugural. So there I am, in Korea, in the back a cab, barreling into the darkness and watching the codification of my new government. Unfortunately I didn't get to see the man himself take the oath from the cab. I made it home in time to see that on a real TV. But just witnessing the pomp of the whole event, not to mention Biden's oath, where I was - it felt spectacularly bizarre and absolutely fitting.

Jan 18, 2009

Wynona's Big Brown Beaver


Upon further review I've concluded that Primus' "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver" is one the 90's coolest rock songs. The music video is a spectacle unto itself, but unfortunately I couldn't find one willing to embed. This Letterman clip will just have to suffice.

... "Wynona loved her big brown beaver and she stroked him all the time... she pricked her finger one day... occurred to her she might have a porcupine." Nothing less than brilliant.

go here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzhL-0_pC3E - for the music video. It's "November Rain" good.

The Sushi Economy


Sasha Issenberg's "The Sushi Economy" is required reading for any fan of raw fish. I'm reminded with every page why picking books at random is such a necessary gamble. Ironically, I dig this book not because it's just sushi porn. In truth, it's fascinating because it demystifies so much about Japan's foremost culinary export, and makes you think about why you actually like the sushi experience so much. Here's a taste of what I'm talking about...

"Sushi draws our attention to a changing landscape of consumption. From the food's 19th century origins - when the acidity of vinegared rice offered a method of preserving fish that could not be eaten right out of the market - restaurants that serve it have always been jewels of civilization, not nature, located according to the vagaries of urban economics, not topography. Sushi has historically found itself, then, wherever human beings have applied their expertise to transform natural resources. Jewelry stores, after all, don't set up near quarries; sellers of fur coats install themselves far from the trapper's stations. From the cozy confines of the sushi bar - where the raw bar's defensive iconography of steam clippers and captain's wheels is thankfully absent - diners are comfortable deputizing their sushi chef to act as middleman between them and nature. The distances that matter in sushi are personal, not geographic... The centers of of the sushi economy in the twenty first century are sites of exchange and connection. Today, the places with the freshest fish - and, often, the telltale aroma that draws attention to such privileged locations - are airport cargo hangars and refrigerated storage facilities located near highway interchanges. No one itches to tie on a lobster bib there."

Bahng Seon Seng Nim


I have a raging new nickname: (roughly translated) Bahng Seon Seng Nim. This means Bread - as in "loaf" - teacher. Bahng = bread/seon seng nim = teacher. My students told me two weeks ago that this was my popular title in the hallways, so I told them to run with it. I've actually found it contagious. I tell my Korean friends to use it, and I think you should too. That it was a huge hit at my winter camp (posts coming asap) really sealed the deal for me. I guess it's just nice to find a pair of pants that fit.

Mobis-uh!



I am now officially a fan of Ulsan sports teams. I knew long ago that my soccer team was fantastic, and that was enough for me. That was until I went to a basketball game. Oh man. Koreans put a twist on anything they adopt from the west, with deeply varying results. Sometimes it makes sense, and sometimes it's shambles. Korean basketball is, simply put, one of the purest examples of cultural fusion I've had the pleasure of taking in.

Let's start with the roster. There are some big Koreans on the Ulsan Mobis Phoebus (don't ask me what Phoebus means). This makes sense and allows the experience to be at once visually familiar to the uninitiated occidental. Then you encounter Gerard Dunston and Odartey Blankson. God knows their stories, but somehow these two black westerners ended up on a mediocre professional Korean basketball team. And damn do the Ulsan fans go berzerk over them. I found out later that most of the Korean teams imported "players of color," and sure enough the opposing team fit the bill. Subsequently I noticed two unfortunate things. One, any black player on floor was invariably covered by another black player, which created a disturbing visual dichotomy. Two, the black players were clearly the best players on their respective teams. I'm sure that's great for the teams themselves. Still, I found it disheartening that the Koreans couldn't count on their own countrymen as the focal point of the physical heroics. I also noticed this at the soccer games, when the Brazilian players always came away with the biggest cheers... and the most scored goals. Either way, I guess if the fans are happy then I'm happy as well.


Then we have the food. I find that sports in the US are inextricably linked with a certain brand of intense, sweaty food. Koreans, not being a people willing to forget about health even during a spectacle, snacked on decidedly unorthodox fare, at least for an American. While there were chips, popcorn, beer, and soda, some other snacks really threw me. Most notable among them was the squid fries. That's right. In fact, I would argue that 2/3 of that stadium consumed squid fries over the course of the game. Of course I tried them, and I can safely say that I get it. They look like fries, they're filling, and with enough salt and a vivid imagination, they almost taste like fries.



Lastly, we have the accents. One of the strangest things about Korea is that English is everywhere. Whether a Korean speaks it or not, he must live everyday surrounded by sayings, billboards, road signs, etc in english. Obviously these are all coupled with a Korean alternative. The result is hearing English words that you know, but not even know they're being used. Ramen noodles (or lahm-yen to Koreans) get at the point. The weirdest example of this during the game arose anytime Blankson scored a basket. The crowd cheered his last name in unison, but it came out roughly as "Buh-lack-us-uh," or to my ears as "blacks." Well, it was close enough to cause some smirks amongst my friends and I. Then you have the team name: Mobis. Anytime there was a lull in play, the stadium's hype man (yes that's right) began a chant of "Mo-bees-suh/mo-bees-suh/mo-bees-suh" with a corresponding clap,clap,clap. It's pure Korean to make a two syllable word into three with a simple "uh." Case in point, my name: Bu-rah-duh. 1 syllable to three. Though, I did hear a defense chant several times that was the same old "defense!!!" that we all know and love. Just like in the rest of life here: some western things stay the same (McDonald's) and some things just get Koreanized.

Jan 15, 2009

Explanation

I haven't posted in a week, and unfortunately I won't be back to it until Monday (Korea time). I've been stranded at a bucolic "winter camp" and am currently 1 hour out from a weekend snowboarding trip. That said, I have posts ready in spades. Check back next week.

Jan 10, 2009

Cat Power - Jukebox


I don't want this blog to be just a list of amazing albums, so I'll take a break after this. That said, Cat Power's "Jukebox" album is outrageously awesome. She actually gets the jump on Lamontagne (see below) because her album has no weak spots. Jukebox delivers through and through. The whole affair has a very lived in feel. I would say it's perfect for a sunny Sunday spent drinking milk and making pancakes.

Jan 9, 2009

Lot's O' Hype


(Ray Lamontagne - Gossip in the Grain)
Believe the hype. This album is serene. As Jesus once said, I simply can't stop listening to it. Sure, it's no "Trouble." He doesn't know how to make his own "Brown Eyed Girl," despite the fact that he tries hard. That said, "Gossip" proves that this man can write "Sweet Thing" over and over again. He's that good. Let him in. I promise you won't regret it.

Jan 8, 2009

Unforgiven


I just cut two amazing hours out of my day to watch Unforgiven. This movie is damn close to perfect. I found myself thinking, "wow I need more Clint in my life. I need more Freeman in my life. Especially, I need more Hackman in my life!" Amongst the many accolades I would throw its way, is the fact that Freeman's race is never discussed. There's not another person of color in the picture, but, even in the bigoted world of early 19th century Wyoming, nobody ever refers to Freeman's character as anything other than Ned. This is a tiny detail. And though it may be wholly historically inaccurate, I believe it's a tribute to Eastwood's supreme originality.

Oh yea, I love how Eastwood's character, a former drunk who's thoroughly tea-totaled, refuses drink after drink, but lunges for the bottle only as he finds out... oh, I won't ruin it for the uninitiated. Just watch out for the scene with Clint and the Kid under the tree... the whole scene. Clint finally unleashes Munny. I could discuss that scene for two hours non stop. I actually rewound it three times.

Jan 7, 2009

Hey remember that... before the recession? Pt. 5


This show was a huge hit. Plus, the combo of J. Love Hewitt and Scott Wolf's alcoholism helped foster me into early puberty. Times were simple. Life was good.

Dokdo


(a little reminder I recorded whilst walking a dog)
Nothing gets Koreans riled like the "Dokdo" issue. Dokdo, otherwise known as the Liancourt Rocks, are two TINY islands smack dab in between Korea and Japan. These two nations have a past rich with disdain and resentment, and it seems as if the Dokdo discussion is simply an extension of that ill will.

The trouble lies in the fact that both nations have fairly legitimate claim to the islands. Dokdo's sovereignty has been in the hands of both nations countless times over the past century. Regardless, the islands have been safely Korean since WWII. The war found Japan destroyed and without any of its previous diplomatic sway necessary to lay claim. Then, even in the upheaval of the Korean war, Japan could never find the right support in the international community to warrant any physical plays towards Dokdo.

Today only a Korean octopus fisherman and his wife live there. But the battle still rages. In summer '08, Japan made some remark in its public middle school curriculum about their rightful ownership over Dokdo. Needless to say the Koreans went apeshit. Korea recalled its ambassador to Japan, strengthened naval support in the East sea, and reinvested in a propaganda campaign the likes of which I've not seen since fall 2001 in the states. The Koreans have a Dokdo song. There are stickers everywhere, including most city buses in Ulsan. I've met Koreans young and old (some of my 5th graders made comments today about the islands) who spoke passionately on the issue.

It's absolutely wild to be a part of a veritable war that only lives in people's hearts and minds. I can't wait to ask some Japanese how the feel about it.

Jan 6, 2009

Bedlam - Harvest Moon


This song is literally impossible to find outside of the Reservoir Dogs stdk. I don't even think the artist, Bedlam, ever released anything beyond this. What a shame. Furthermore, what a shame it's so brief. I could probably bathe in this cut for at least 6 or 7 minutes. Enjoy.

Let's get it on.


My walks have recently been dominated by Marvin Gaye's seminal album "Let's Get it On" and its timeless title track. What a lush, warm, tasty piece of music. It's so camp, but you wouldn't know it from the way he sings those lyrics.

"YOU don't have to worry that it's WRONG!
IF the spirit moves you, let me GROOVE you!"

You know he's singing to someone out there. Not even the greatest of bullshitters could give a vocal delivery as impassioned. It's the embodiment of yearning.

And that backing band... whew! I think a spot in his touring band would completely satisfy my musical aspirations. Funky to a T.

Yes.


I almost spit on my computer screen when I saw this. Thanks Tif.

Jan 4, 2009

Heat seakuhs?


For Andrews and Deardourff

Luscious libations.

I am now, and always will be a beer drinker. Sure I like a glass of red wine, or a nice riesling on a summer day, or even a syrupy Maker's on the rocks. I like these drinks, but I love beer. I can't hide it, so I might as well just embrace it. Sure, there are times when I drink beer excessively. But I think it's very important to emphasize that any moments of excess should not convey a toss-off attitude about the beverage itself. A truly great beer should never be consumed at excess. No, it must be tasted, embraced, communed with, and considered.

I spent my college years [a loathsome statement when used in the past tense] in the great state of Vermont which, amongst other things, has a bevy [no pun intended] of ornate microbrews. Beer drinkers in Vermont are outrageously spoiled. I think you can only know this if you travel to a place, like Korea, that appreciates beer as a narcotic and not a compliment. Vermont beers are marvelous and I will always miss them when they're not at my disposal. For those of who are interested, I've provided you with a small, emotional overview of just a smattering of VT's hoppy offerings.

Long Trail - The Standby

Magic Hat - The Hometown Hero

Switchback - The Recluse

Trout River - The Woodsman

New kimchi or old kimchi?


There are two kinds of Koreans: those who prefer new kimchi, and those who prefer old kimchi. There's a marked difference between the two [kimchis, not Koreans]. Old kimchi is more sour and meandering in taste, while new kimchi is sharp, spicy, and quite definite. I recently discovered that I am a new kimchi man.

I think that kimchi is far and away the most fascinating cultural trait in this country. As I've said before, everyone eats it everyday. Moreover, it doesn't seem to be something that most people buy in stores. You certainly can, but that's kind of like buying a store-made Turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Kimchi season, as I would call it, is an incredibly mysterious and beautiful time in Korea.

Every winter, the vast majority of Koreans prepare themselves for "the great Kimchi make." They buy/harvest a mountain of cabbage, hot sauce, and god knows else each family puts into it's own private kimchi batch. Then many family members sequester themselves in and around the kitchen for an entire day. A year's worth of kimchi comes out of this day. Like I said, almost every Korean family does this every year.

Each family does it differently too. It means something very important when, at a casual lunch, somebody busts out "their" kimchi to share. Basically they're sharing with you something that is, more or less, a huge statement about the Korean-ness of their family. Heavy huh?

Harvest season also means a glut of new kimchi. To old kimchi people it's a frustrating time of year, but not to freshies. No way, I just can't get enough of this crisp goodness everyday, and I can get it everyday too. Last week, my co-teacher presented me with a monster tupperwear full of her family's personal batch. Mmm. I smiled hearty as I chopped up the leaves to a little Otis Redding. I'm glad that I suffered unknowingly through the old kimchi season, and now I can look forward to months of filling my chop sticks with abandon.

Koreans work harder than you pt. 3


Everyday I walk by a Korean pizza joint called Hansang Pizza. Today I found out that it actually belongs to the parents of one of my favorite students. Not only that, but this lovely young lady explained that her family also lives above the restaurant in the same building. How mom and pop, I thought. What would that be like? I asked her as much as I could within the bounds of her English. Later, I was shocked to find out that she, at 14, began actively working in the store at 7! She told me that she made her first pie at 7, and collected her first transaction at the tender age of 12. Who learns to work a cash register at 12? I'm ashamed to say I've not yet had Hansang pizza. That will have to change very soon. Perhaps tonight.

Jan 3, 2009

An apt description.


"It's like nothing else you have ever heard‚ and walks the boundaries between music‚ dreaming and the collective idea of reality in general."

- State of Mind mag writer describing a Sigur Ros performance.

Jan 2, 2009

Bangeojin on a Saturday.

I've been dog sitting for the past week, and the two-a-day walks have given me some good time to take photos. These are some shots from my section of the world on this pristine Saturday.

The changing rooms on Ilsan beach.

This is actually a restaurant next to the stairs leading to Daewangam park. At night they set lights over all the tables and it becomes picturesque. Apparently the raw fish here is otherworldly.

Bangeojin under blue skies.

Kozelek.


Everyone needs more Mark Kozelek in their life. See: Sun Kil Moon and Red House Painters.

Angry Obama.


On Thursday my 6th graders told me that "barack" is actually a Korean expression for "angry." Apparently many Koreans find it funny that our new president's name is Angry Obama. Who knew?

Delivery culture.


Koreans have mastered the art of food delivery. You can order ANYTHING to deliver in this wild country. Of course I don't because I haven't the foggiest about what to say, but I think that's a good thing at the end of the day. God knows I would be morbidly obese if I unlocked the treasure trove of Korean delivery.

Three things distinguish Korea's food transpo system from that in the USandA. First, every delivery man, without fail, drives a scooter or motorcycle. No question. Second, most scooters have these ingenious hand mitts attached to the handle bars come winter. Trust me, you've never seen anything more practical in your life (above). Last, and most fascinating, delivered Korean food comes with real plates, bowls, and utensils, which the deliverymen will return to pick up at an undetermined time after your order. You read right. So basically you order the food, devour it, then place all the dirty dishes outside your door for some minion to collect. The food will be gone by the next time you depart.

Oh the things we learn out in the world.