Old Soul Song

We didn't have school yesterday! It was local election day, so all classes were canceled. Thank god elections are over with, though. The week or two leading up to them, the campaigners are everywhere. Unlike in the US, the candidates go mainly by their numbers. So you'll see a line of a dozen or less women all in green wearing sashes that say #4 on them, bowing to all the people who walk by, and across from them will be a row for people wearing all red with sashes that say #7, and they're doing the exact same thing. Also, they set up these big trucks on street corners that just broadcast the campaign speeches. It definitely makes an impression to be waiting at an intersection that has a campaign truck on one side. They play a video on the side of the truck and the voice just BOOMS. I felt like I was in some sort of war, actually. The only time I've heard speeches like that broadcasted so loudy was in like...a war movie.

Even though we had the day off, it rained and the temperature dropped. So we stayed in doors, watched Atonement, and grabbed some dakgalbi in Sillim. I ran into a slew of my kids on the bus and in Ice Berry. All today, I had to deal with the, "You...Boyfriend? Sillim??" My stockings also ripped on the way to work. Woohoo. I had just gotten to school when one of my students gasped and pointed to this massive run on the back of my leg. So I had to go strip those off in the ladies' room and go naked legged all day. The legs...they felt so bare.

It was such a beautiful day that Dean and I walked to the nearby Boramae Park. There were tons o families out--lots of babies, too. God, the babies here are adorable. I mean, babies in general are cute, but Korean babies are just SO CHUBBY and have the most adorable outfits.

Oh, also...my kids have exams next week!! I was just thinking, "man, I haven't had a class canceled since the first week of school." This bummed me out, since I had so many classes randomly canceled towards the end of last semester. But I then looked at my schedule and saw that...their midterms start Monday! Muahahaha. I know it's kind of evil to be so delighted that my kids have these exams, but...meh. I'm a teacher. Isn't being evil part of the job?

pag

A bunch of old men playing traditional games at Boramae Park. It's interesting--the old men in Korea seem to gather everywhere. In some subway stations, there will be like...40 old men just sittin around, looking grumpy and playing games. The elderly are definitely out and about in Seoul--definitely a shocker after coming from the US.

pkay

flowers

The cherry blossoms by Sindaebang station. The blooms have been gorgeous this week.

bridge

river2

2 pictures of Dean down below Sindaebang station. I like this location--definitely want to do some kind of fashiony shoot with my friends soon.

blossoms

The blossoms again. So beautiful--I took a bunch of pics today.

blossom2

flower

And a picture of me that Dean took.

This title is from Old Soul Song by Bright Eyes

We left before the dust had time to settle
And all the broken glass swept off the avenue
And on the way home I held your camera like a bible
Just wishing so bad that it held some kind of truth
And I stood nervous next to you in the dark room
You dropped the paper in the water
And it all begins to bloom.

The Nikon is a great camera! I, too, debated long and hard about whether to get a Canon or Nikon. I have a Canon Powershot that I love, plus I have a Canon EOS Rebel. But I heard that the Nikon is a better camera for low-light settings and portraits, and since I do tons of low-light AND portraits, it seemed to be perfect. There are still little things that irk me about the Nikon--since I really do love Canons--but it's definitely grown on me a lot.

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by: the real ginger

Apr 14, 2008 4:26pm

OMG!! I love these pictures, especially the one with Dean under the bridge...very artistic, and the cherry blossoms are soo pretty.... You know what??? You have inspired me. I bought a Nikon D40 over the weekend. I mean I did some research I was debating btwn Canon and Nikon but chose the Nikon instead (it was more affordable). I'm a mom so I don't get the chance to get out and really play with the camera, so until the oppurtunity presents itself it's all inside with the babies. Not to mention I'm a newbie so if you have any helpful tips...feel free to throw them my way.

by: memeu

Apr 14, 2008 8:28am

Haha, I can kinda see the resemblance

by: KTZ811

Apr 14, 2008 12:49am

I'm not sure if I see a resemblance! But you look cute!

Apr 13, 2008 10:48pm

Thanks!

I don't give exams or even homework, thankfully. Teaching ESL is quite different than teaching students in their native language. Most of us here at public schools only see our students (at the max) 2 times a week for 45 minutes. I only see mine once a week! I wish I could take credit for "molding" them, but for the majority of the students, I'm nore like the foreign novelty. -_-;

Apr 13, 2008 10:46pm

Haha, hellO! I think I sorta look a little teensy bit like you!

okay, maybe not! haha. :p

by: sinequanonerose

Apr 13, 2008 7:44am

I love the photos! These looks like it was taken by a professional one. The one with those little flowers and your boyfriend sitting could pass as pictures from a magazine!

Really? Korean babies are chubby? They look cute then! Here in our country you would often see tiny, thin, malnourished babies. It may be due to poverty or because we're a third wirld country.

You teachers really have an evil side. You love to give hard test and mind shattering projects plus those SURPRISE EXAMS! hahaha! But for me it's one of the most noble profession there is! You play a great part in molding people.

I didn't like some of my teachers before but after I graduate I realized that those terror teachers had made somehow made me a stonger and more determined person!

by: barbiegrace

Apr 13, 2008 1:04am

Thanks for leaving a comment! Hangeul isn't so hard, actually. The grammar is what kills me!

Apr 12, 2008 11:34pm

Bright Eyes is so fantastic! Oberst's lyrics are just on a completely different level than most other songwriters. Love, love, LOVE Cassadaga, too--it's one of my favorite albums now. Yeah, Bak wants to build this crazy canal...a LOT of people are opposed to it, though. We'll see how it goes.

Apr 12, 2008 11:28pm

I have a standard Nikon D40 and I use a Nikkor 50 mm f/1.8 lens. I don't have photoshop, but I do use Microsoft Photo Editor and Picasa to edit the saturation and contrast of the colors.

Apr 12, 2008 11:25pm

wow! i just absolutely love your photography! what kind of lens/DSLR do you use? also, may i ask if you PS your photos to get the lomo-ish effect? i'm going to korea this summer and i'm super psycheddd!!! :)

by: k.a.p.r.i

Apr 12, 2008 9:16pm

First off I love Bright Eyes. Just wonderful.

And the picture of the two elderly men sitting there playing that confusing game....I thought I was looking at a clip from a movie! Wonderful skills you have. And a incredibly handsome boyfriend! That fashion shoot will do amazing. Yes, I've been reading about the new mayor or president I'm acutally not sure what. Isn't he planning on building a canal? Well hope that works out!

And yes, being evil does come with teaching, well it should!

by: koncettina

Apr 12, 2008 6:40am

Hello there =)

I've been a ghostreader for a while and i've decided that hey, it's time for me to post a comment. Haha

I love reading your blog because it gives me real insight into what Korea is like in general, for normal, non-celebs like us. =)

Reel life is different from real life, so it's nice to see pictures of the real Korea.

And it makes me, someone who's fascinated with the South Korean culture, really happy! Haha.

I love your photography skills. =)

I'm definitely heading to South Korea one day!

I wish I could practice as nurse (since i'm one now) in Korea but that means i'd have to master the Hangul.

The first step is always the hardest. =(

by: mouismoo

Apr 12, 2008 5:52am

I think that the Korean one is too naive. I think...the relationships should have limits. If there are exceptions, that's fine, whatever, but...I don't know. I mean, I was close with some of my professors in college and we all even brought in wine and got drunk together on the last day of seminar. But we were in college, so we were closer to being emotional and intellectual equals by that point. I do find it kind of strange to have teachers being so close with young students.

Apr 10, 2008 4:43pm

You strange, strange girl. But it's all good. I've totally had teachers do that on tests before (in high school)--I'm sure they also just wanted to be amused.

Apr 10, 2008 4:32pm

oh thats interesting.

May I ask which "student-teacher-relationship" (for lack of a better word -_-) you prefer? The more distant one in the west or the more personal one in Korea?

by: 7wWWw7

Apr 10, 2008 11:22am

the photos you usually post look great, but this batch looks RRREEEAAALLLLLLYYY awesome. i'm stealing some heh. & you know what i've always wanted to do if i became a teacher?

i would LOVE to like, set multi choice questions, where the answers are all 'A'. or all 'B'. & i would stand in front of the class & watch everyone slowly fill in their answer sheets. & as they fill in one question, & the next, then the next, then suddenly they'll realize & be like, WTF?! & start doubting their answers.

LOLOLOL

omgah it's quite sad that i wanna be a teacher JUST for that.

by: fragment

Apr 10, 2008 8:39am

Teachers are a lot closer and more personal with their students than they are in the West. I was shocked when I saw my female co-teachers holding hands while walking with the female students. They also can hug the boy students without it being anything to freak out about. One of my male students actually picked me up and carried me into a classroom once. I REALLY freaked out and was all, "Ok stop stop STOP PUT ME DOWN!" but the other teachers just thought it was funny! So...yeah, the teachers are encouraged to be on closer terms with the kids. I even saw a coworker (she was maybe...35?) swapping cyworld addresses with some students afterschool one day. It still surprises me.

Apr 10, 2008 6:39am

Beautiful pictures of a beautiful scenery, this really makes me want to learn photography.

oh and something else I noticed: Your students seem to be very interested in your private life and don't bother to hide it. I think you wrote somewhere that you even received love letters. Here in Europe things like that would be seen as quite inappropriate. Does Korea generally have a different view of privacy?

Apr 10, 2008 6:04am

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