New blog

If you are interested in reading my new blog, detailing my life in Phuket, Thailand, please visit takeiteasybuttakeit.tumblr.com

25 and counting

Flight leaves for Thailand on February 4th. Pretty excited.

Phuket on the horizon

I am planning another adventure abroad, this time to Phuket, Thailand. This may mildly excite you, the reader, because it promises to provide another a few months of excited ramblings from me before I get bored with the blog and abandon you all again.

I'm still making all the final reservations but it looks like I'll be in Thailand shortly after the new year for a few months.

Also, in keeping with the spirit of "Getting my Suwon" I will be ranting from time to time. I thought about writing a piece about how ridiculous it is that Sarah Palin's inability to differentiate between refute and repudiate resulted in the Oxford American Dictionary adding her made up word but it seemed too easy a target for my first rant in a while.

NBA Generations and Global Gathering

A few weeks ago (too many to accurately remember) we were in Hongdae and saw a poster for a basketball game being held in Seoul. On the poster were pictures of former NBA all-stars so naturally we were intrigued. Turns out it was a game between the Korean all-star team and a group of former NBA players supplemented by current NBA D-League players--I was sold. So we set off towards the Olympic complex for an afternoon of sports entertainment.

I will briefly digress here to talk about riding the subway. Much like "The L" in Chicago all the novelty and shine of mass transit fades away after a few months. The Seoul Metro is just a necessary evil at this point and quite a nasty one at that. It is always too crowded to sit down, the transfers are confusing, and it seems to take forever. The ride to Jamsil was no exception. One train was so crowded that we literally couldn't get on at the station. All the Koreans rammed and jammed their tiny little bodies in and there was no room for us. When we finally did get on it was so crowded that you didn't have to hold on to anything to brace yourself--you couldn't have fallen down if you tried.

We arrived at the Olympic complex and quickly found the basketball arena. To be honest, we really just followed Korean people wearing NBA jerseys. We bought some of the cheaper tickets in the upper deck and marched up the stairs to our seats. We were getting settled in and remarking how our seats were actually pretty decent when a Korean usher comes up. Here we go.

Turned out that the lower bowl wasn't full and they wanted people in the seats for the TV cameras so he told us we could move down and sit wherever we wanted--score one for the good guys. Buy the cheapest tickets and score seats a few rows off the floor. The game itself was pretty hilarious. The NBA "legends" consisted of Dominque Wilkins, Robert Horry, Vlade Divac, and Tim Hardaway. The coach was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar but he never actually did any coaching. He just sat on the bench with a towel over his head and gave a brief interview at half-time.

Obviously D-Wilkins is like 55 years old and Vlade Divac was horribly out of shape so it was quite humorous watching these little Korean all-stars just sprinting past them up and down the floor. The Koreans had ZERO inside presence but they didn't really need it as they proceeded to shoot the lights out from 3 and basically blow the NBA squad away. My favorite part was during warm-ups when the Korean fans were "ooohing and ahhhhing" over the most routine, basic dunks. Any person over 6'8" can jump and put the ball through a 10 foot rim but the Koreans thought they were at the All-Star dunk contest. All in all a really fun event and certainly something I didn't envision doing when I left for Korea.

This past weekend was a two day dance music festival in Seoul called Global Gathering. After out last experience with the World DJ Festival we knew this wasn't something we'd want to miss. It turned out to be a really good adventure and hopefully a semi-interesting story.

We set off from Suwon around 4 and despite doing our best to research the event online we basically knew nothing about where the festival was. Luckily we recently discovered that you can dial "1330" on your phone and get this English speaking helpline designed for tourists in Seoul. So our strategy was to take the high-speed train (rather than the subway :)) into Seoul, get food, and then call 1330 and have them help us get there. The high-speed train takes about 30 minutes instead of over an hour on the subway which is a huge plus. Charlie and I played golf on his "hand phone" and we arrived at Seoul Station around 5:15.

Next we call 1330 and they tell us to take the subway to the World Cup Stadium and then take a taxi from there. They assure Charlie that taxis will know "Global Gathering." So we decipher the subway map and head to the platform to wait. It is 6 stops away so in my mind I'm thinking that should take about 30 minutes. So we wait on the platform, play umpteen more rounds of cell phone golf, and 40 minutes later the stupid train arrives. We board the train, sit down, and prepare to set off. Unfortunately the train sat there for another 25 minutes not moving. So we've now wasted almost an hour and we haven't moved. Charlie finally set a deadline for getting off and that came and went so we departed the train and caught a taxi to the World Cup Stadium.

After a delicious meal at Pizza Hut we decided to grab a few alcoholic beverages for the road because I read (incorrectly) online that Global Gathering was alcohol-free. Charlie and I grab a few Budweisers and bottle of Soju to split on our journey and we once again set off in search of a cab. At this point Ben realizes that he knows where the park is because it is the same location as the DJ Festival and we had to walk there from the WC Stadium last time. He admits it is quite the hike so we go through the horrible process of trying to wave down and cab and get 1330 on the line to give the driver directions.

Ben gets put on hold, numerous cab drivers blow by us, and I keep drinking all the while laughing about how silly this whole ordeal is becoming. Finally we manage to get through to 1330 and wave down a cab. We're off again! Unfortunately 5 minutes later the guy starts saying something in Korean and pointing. He then makes a U-turn and we realize he doesn't know where he's supposed to be taking us. We just get out and decide to go the rest on foot. About 30 minutes, 2 bathroom stops, and 2 beers later we arrived after hiking up and around this seemingly big hill in the middle of a huge park. All-in-all it took us about 5 hours to get from Suwon to GG but it is a funny story and good memory.

Once inside we met up with some of Ben's soccer teammates (people we know from NOW Bar) and former Talkster legend, the Tominator. We unfortunately missed the two HUGE Korean pop music sensations, G-Dragon and 2NE1, but what can you do? We still told the students that we saw them and it made all of them extremely jealous! Tom informs us that he had already been kicked out of GG three times, once for puking on stage during 2NE1. He just kept buying new tickets (about $80 each) and coming back in for more. How he got on stage is anyone's guess. The other evictions were for puking or similar drunken antics. What a guy.

We then proceed to do some more shots, drink a few beers, and get our dancing groove on for the night's shows. It was really a great time and much like DJ Festival the weather was absolutely perfect. The headliner was a group called Underworld and it was a really awesome time. After a night of dancing and drinking we headed home.

Take it easy, but take it.

Reflecting

In another ill-fated attempt to revive this blog I'm going to do a reflection on what is now the first half of my Korean adventure. This will be incredibly disjointed, scattered, and somewhat illogical, but know that is written with absolute honesty and sincerity in hopes that I can convey some of the meaning and significance of this year to everyone who reads this. I've already discussed my difficulty in fully expressing what this experience is like so please bare with me and proceed with caution.

It has been nearly six months since I left U.S. soil and I still can't answer what is the most obvious question: why go to Korea? I think any logical, sound-minded individual would be expected to have a solid answer for that question before they ever left home. I also believe that anyone with a solid answer for that question would never wind up in Korea. People here are of a special breed with a really unique mindset towards life experiences that allows us to understand each other's reasoning without any questions or conversations. I've met such a wide spectrum of people here in Korea but perhaps the one consistent trait is that none of us can really explain in words why we're here. You here answers like, "I didn't choose Korea, Korea chose me" and I think that says it about as well as I ever could. I doubt anyone had a list of pros and cons as that type of thinking and reasoning isn't applicable to such a radical change. You have to be willing to take a chance on yourself and just jump over the edge of the cliff without looking. You can't hesitate, you can't second guess, you have to be the type of person who knows what they want, even if they don't know why they want it, and just lunge head first towards your goal.

Is Korea what I expected? No, not at all and yes, completely, all in the same breath. The reason being that I came here with almost no expectations. I just packed my entire life into two, overweight suitcases and 18 hours later I was here. I didn't know what Korean culture would be like, how I would survive, what I would eat, who I would meet, what I would see, etc. So in that sense it was completely unexpected and foreign. At the same time I knew I would be pushed to new limits and exposed to new ways of thinking that I would carry with me forever. I would be forced to grow as a person and begin to develop a deeper understanding of who Kevin Michael Kushion actually is. Korea has definitely not disappointed in the latter category. Living, working, and playing in a culture as different from my own as Korean is like holding a giant mirror up to yourself and your way of life. By recognizing why Koreans are the way they are it allows me to identify why I am the way I am. Not only experiencing but being completely immersed in a foreign culture allows you an opportunity to view and analyze your own culture from the outside. I may not speak Korean or look Korean or feel Korean, but for all intents and purposes for this year, I am Korean. There isn't a U.S. oasis where we escape to live life--every part of everyday is entirely and sincerely Korean. Most days Charlie and Ben are the only two people I interact with that aren't Korean. That means every other person I encounter at all during the entire the day is culturally, physically, linguistically different from me. Store clerks, bus drivers, waitresses, strangers--everyone is a chance to learn, grow, and further understand this country where I've chosen to live for a year. The lessons I learn here may be specific to Korea but they truly are applicable to life anywhere.

I view my unique position as an outsider as much more of a blessing than a curse. I now am much more conscious of how people view me and my culture. I've developed an ability to communicate with people without using words. I can read body language and social cues in order to gauge situations. I really feel that if I can survive six months in Suwon without knowing any Korean I can do anything. We've overcome some real obstacles that may seem minor and inconsequential to people back home but that leave me with a deep sense of accomplishment and a knowledge that I really can tackle anything that comes my way. I think back to that first week when Charlie and I would just wander looking for places that had English menus and marvel at how far we've come. We've done more than survive, we've made this our life and thrived.

I think in my first six months the one thing I will remember most is the people. First, I've been incredibly blessed to have two guys like Ben and Charlie here with me. To have people to share your day with is awesome, to have guys who have quickly become some of my best friends is even better. I cringe to think about what my experience would be like without Ben and Charlie. Next, I will just say everyone at Talkster. Haji, Anna, Betty, Josh, Michelle, and Edward have been wonderful to work with and have taught me a great deal about being a successful teacher as well as a better human being. I'm sincerely enjoyed working with them and getting to know them, especially away from work on a more personal level. As much as I have learned from all of them, I've learned ten times more from the students. This one sort of caught me off guard, but I have grown quite attached to the students and I look forward to seeing them everyday. My favorite part of everyday, and perhaps my favorite part of Korea, is from 2:50-3:00 p.m. when the youngest students gather outside in the street and play before class. I always just stand in the doorway smiling--few things in life have ever brought me as much joy as watching those munchkins run around and have shoe kicking contests. I see in those 10 minutes such unhindered happiness and potential for growth that is really humbles me and reminds me what I should be striving for in my own life. Teaching has been its own battle with really rewarding highs and disappointing lows. I think teaching actually may run counter to my personality so I really have to 'gear up' and get in the proper mindset before each class. Also, teaching students ranging from 6 to 15 years old requires you to change gears each hour and helps to keep me on my toes. I've grown to really enjoy some of the students' company. Obviously I teach a lot of great kids who are an absolute pleasure to teach. On the other hand I have kids who originally drove me crazy and at times down-right pissed me off. I'm proud to report that I've found ways to relate to and engage those students such that I can now welcome them as a part of the class. I really turned the corner with a few students and developed a mutual respect with them of which I'm extraordinarily proud. A little diplomacy in recognizing and cultivating a common ground can really go a long way in bridging the gap between disrespectful student and inexperienced teacher. I am very confident that over the next 6 months I will really hone my ski ls and become a more efficient educator.

I'll leave it there for now. I promise I will post again in the next few days with more specifics as to what we've been up to lately.

Take it easy, but take it.

Why I ate dog

So on Wednesday night I joined our Korean coworker Edward, Charlie, and his friend Sean for a truly Korean experience of eating dog. First, I must immediately dispel some ridiculous rumors about Koreans and their canine eating habits. First, less that 5% of ALL Koreans have EVER eaten dog. Second, they aren't eating Lassie or Old Yeller. These are special dogs that are bred and raised on farms just like any other livestock. They don't bark, they're hairless and pretty disgusting to look at. People seem to have this idea of Golden Retrievers and Labs getting killed for meat which is totally off base. I should also mention that Koreans originally ate dogs as a last resort. During long periods of occupation by other imperial Asian countries the Koreans were literally starved for protein and dog is a great source of this essential part of the human diet.

Now that I said all of that, I want to try to explain why I ate dog. First, I ate dog because it was an experience that will certainly stay with me for the rest of my life. Inevitably when people here about my time in Korean the topic of eating dogs will come up--now I can give a solid, experienced answer. I can safely say that dog is served in some restaurants. It is also pretty delicious.

But that isn't the real reason I ate dog, just as I assume it isn't the reason Charlie or Sean decided to partake either. We all share a general open mindedness about cultural differences and we're genuinely interested in stepping well outside of our comfort area to dive head first into everything Korea has to offer. Edward graciously offered to take us to his brother's restaurant for a rare opportunity to experience a piece of Korea's history and I felt a self obligation to take him up on his offer. I wasn't excited about the prospect of eating dog, but I was excited about the prospect of broadening my worldview and deepening my understanding of Korea. Certain opportunities only arise once in a lifetime and you'd be a fool to knowing let one slip by, regardless of your personal prejudices about eating particular animals.

I've recently done a lot of thinking about my experience in Korea and how it is perceived by other people. I have come to the conclusion that it is difficult to explain or express anything about Korea to someone who has no frame of reference for what I'm trying to express. I'm not at all implying that I don't want to talk about Korea, but rather I find it difficult to express how I truly feel to people who have never been. People strive to ask questions but without any basis for understanding they can't really ever ask the questions that will prompt responses about how Korea really is and what I've really learned here.

I will try to use an extreme example to outline my point. When Neil Armstrong returned from the moon what kind of questions do you think his friends and family asked him? I would guess some popular ones would be:

"What was it like to be weightless?"

"What did the moon's surface feel like?"

"When did you come up with the 'One small step...' quote?"

"How was the space food?"

But none of those questions even scratch the surface of Mr. Armstrong's real experience. I'm sure floating around in the ship was awesome, hitting the golf ball was fun, and the food was awful, but do any of those elements contribute in the slightest to the awe-inspiring experience of being the first man on the moon? If he wasn't so witty and hadn't uttered those now famous words, would his experience be diminished? Had they served Fillet Mignon, would he look back on the trip more fondly? I think the experience itself, as a whole, is what Neil probably remembers. But when people probe him they can't ask, "What's it like to have a life changing and history altering experience 230,000 miles from Earth?" because they have no frame of reference to even pose the question. You don't knowingly ask questions when you know you won't understand the answer. Instead, they struggle to find things they can relate to and ask about them. But when all the former Apollo astronauts get together I doubt they talk about Lunar 4-irons or freeze-dried ice cream. They are able to discuss and understand their mutual experience on a much deeper level that outsiders cannot begin to understand. Charlie, Ben and I have a similar group dialogue about Korea, obviously on a much smaller and less historic scale.

I think of my Korean experience as if I am looking at a painting from across the room. The details are fuzzy or dull. Rather than focusing on brushstrokes or shadows I'm able to appreciate the entirety of the picture. I'm able to reflect on the sum rather than the components. That is why I think it is hard for me to relate my experience to friends and family back home. They see and hear the details but they can't see the whole picture. For every meal of dog or night out in Seoul there are 20 days spent living in Hwaseo-dong, riding the bus, finding new meals, meeting new people, and experiencing life as a foreigner. None of it is noteworthy or interesting to you all, but to me it is what will define my experience here. It is what I'll remember 20 years from now. It is what I hope to take with me when I leave here.

Take it easy but take it.

Phuket - Day 5

Day 5

We slept in quite late today and rolled around around 1 p.m. We headed towards Patong and make a quick stop downtown for a late lunch. After that we headed further north to try and find some of more isolated beaches on the north-west side of the island. We successfully navigated to two of the northern beaches and they were basically exactly like every other beach on this amazing island, except they had even fewer people. Maybe a three mile beach with a total of 8 people? Phuket is just so empty this time of year. It makes me happy to know that I'll probably be returning around this same time next year so I'll enjoy the conditions.

After the two beaches we decided to try and find another waterfall. This time we were actually successful and found this marvelous jungle waterfall at the end of a very rural road. Despite our lack of climbing clothes (swim shorts and flip flops don't exactly fit the bill) we were able to climb up through the jungle and see some incredible sights. Again, we were the only two people at the entire waterfall. The humidity must have been at least 200% and I was very close to taking a proper dip to cool myself. This waterfall was just as cool and awe inspiring as the other we saw earlier in the week. One minute you're on the world's most fantastic beach, an hour of motorbiking cruising later and you're at the top of a jungle waterfall.

After the waterfall we cruised in dusk/dark back along the western coast on our way to Kata. We resolved to finally get a Thai massage. Now, I would bet every dollar I have that Phuket has as many massage parlors as it does restaurants. You cannot go more than 100 yards in any direction without running into a massage pal or. Our major concern was getting a proper massage without any "funny" business. We walked around trying to find a highly populated parlor and finally settled on one that looked the least shady. The point out two beds and start pulling the curtain closed and Ben summed up both our feelings with, "Really? A curtain?" Luckily no funny business occured and we got pretty decent massages for about $8 for an hour. Obviously when half the island's female population is in the massage business they can't all be certified professionals but they did a fine job, especially considering the price.

After that we hit up a steak house in Kata, enjoyed dinner, and also enjoyed the site of the baby elephant across the street. Some dude had his baby elephant out so you could buy peanuts to feed it or take pictures. Ridiculous.

Take it easy, but take it.