Who comes to Korea to teach?

* Meet Soju, Korea's favourite alcoholic beverage. Soju is made using potatos, sweet potatos, wheat, barley, or tapioca and boasts an alcoholic percentage of 20-45%. I have not made friends with Soju, but have been told that it tastes similar to vodka and have witnessed that it's effect on humans is similar to that of tequila. Soju is dangerously ubiquitous, he can be found and enjoyed anywhere and everywhere. Soju can be your friend for about 2500 won (about $3 Canadian).

ORIENTATION in the ORIENTnation

The week long orientation experience turned out to be more than just a friend-generating vehicle or a simple exercise of common sense... What I got out of the lectures is simple: Attitude is everything!!


A glimpse at the Korean-style highlife revealed their love of Art: The resort is brilliant! Inside it's walls hold a variety of contemporary artwork, including giant Pollock-like paintings which cling to the walls, and a few somewhat erotic sculptures that deck the halls. Outside, the resort is surrounded by golf courses, trees, gardens and well kept grounds....
I came close, but couldn't commit to enjoying a coffee inside the resort's beautiful cafe... they wanted a ghastly 8000 won for a coffee!- 8000 won is enough money to buy 3 or 4 bottles of Soju*!

The highlight of the week for some would have been the nightly Soju* feasting, for others it could have been the trip to the Hwaesong Fortress. For neolithic nomads (like myself); the climax was without a doubt the Korean traditional Music performance. The performance began with Korean singing and fan dancing, it led to the soothing plucking of the silk-strings of the Geomungo zither. The performance ended with a bang- literally!... The tennacious skill, consuming focus and thunderous energy of a childrens drum circle is the ultimate experience of my journey so far. Runners-up include Tasting fire chicken, exploring Insa-dong and finally landing at my own apartment.

LECTURES

Although heavily rhetorical and painful at times, some of the lectures were laced with inspiring bursts of innovative truth.
I took the opportunity to draw my way through the lecture periods. Drawing gave me a reason to look forward to the lectures, and some of my scribbles turned out to be a good waste of ink!


Orientation yielded some unforgettable moments and friends and it answered the question many of us were wondering...

WHO COMES TO KOREA TO TEACH?...

[The following evidence is based on a 5-day analytical journey including approximately 200 (mostly) human prototypes.]

15% - Licensed teachers who are seeking to murder their student loans
24% - Single alcoholics who are having a quarter-life crisies
9% - Girls who just broke up with their boyfriend of many years
19% - Middle-aged know-it-alls
7% - Couples looking for adventure outside the bedroom
29% - Creepy males who have no friends (or social skills) who are itching to marry a Korean babe.
3% - Escape artists


I knew the week was over when everyone else looked completely torn and hungover and when I had run out of skin real- estate for the mosquitos to capitalize on.

I am currently cleaning my apartment, while taking in glimpses of the Discovery channel, meanwhile drinking Black Bean tea and Aloe Vera juice, while making wire sculptures, while doing laundry, while killing ants, while packing for tomorrow's trip to spend Chuesok (Korean Thanksgiving) with a welcoming family (whom I've never met).

Images coming Soon!...(whenever I find my battery recharger)