Alright folks, I’m in Korea and I’m starting a video blog to track my journey.
Here’s the first entry!
May 8, 2009
As a kid, I began to realize that my friends were putting up posters of celebrities and movie stars on their walls. Realizing that this was the “cool” thing to do, I asked my dad to buy me some posters of my own to hang up.
My father’s reply was that I would be only allowed to hang up those posters if I also hung up a picture of my mother, father, grandfather, and grandmother first. I never did get those posters.
As a kid, I had a Ninetendo which I was only allowed to play for one hour on the weekends. One day, I snuck an hour of play in during the weekday, my grandmother told my father, and he came home that night and crushed the Ninetendo with his foot in front of me. Ever since 3rd grade, I’ve never ever owned game system – not even a Tamagochi.
It would only be my junior year in college I got enough confidence to hang up posters and purchase a game system of my own – a PS2 (just as archaic now as it was back when I got it).
I think it was all worth it.
May 6, 2009
I can’t seem to get enough of looking at peoples’ facebook and their photoalbums. Aside from making it evident that I’m bored at work, I think it’s a sign of a deeper issue…I’m an utter loser.
I hope people have the same thoughts I have when they look at my facebook profile.
“There’s so much sunlight where John’s from“
or
“John eats so well but yet stays so fit.”
or
“John looks like a good person to date, perhaps a poke would be suffice to drop a hint?“
Something to that extent would be nice. Oh well. Onto bigger and better things…bigger and better things, yes?
So I’ve made the decision of my life (no exaggeration). I’ve kindly declined NYU (which included my wishful prospect of living in NYC) and their Masters in Public Administration Program for Georgetown University’s Russian and Eastern European Studies Program. What is up with me and this Russian obsession? Whenever I told people I was a Russian major and studied abroad in Russia their usual response was one of raised brow accopanied by an empthatic “Why Russian?”
My usual response: a quiet chuckle to myself as I looked at them and thought to myself “Oh, poor [fill in your name], who works in [finance/business/econ/engineering/pr], if only you knew what true passion tasted like, then you would understand why I have such an interest in such an obscure field”.
Alas, now that I’ll be in soon time pulling out nearly $100,000 in loans to fund this education, I’ve now realized why indeed people go into the accounting, econ, and finance majors in college. Where was I when this memo of financial security over personal-pursuit-of-one’s-passion was beign passed around?
But I shouldn’t bitch. It’s a fantastic program – number one in the country actually (sorry, I had to put that in there). So I’m looking forward to my studies come Fall. In the meantime, I’ll be in Korea working for a Member of the Korean National Assembly. How tight of an internship is that? My Korean sucks so we’ll see how they utilize me.
Change is a comin’! A month left of my work here at the national Tourette Syndrome Association and off to Korea I go.
March 23, 2009
There’s a place your mother goes when everybody else is soundly sleeping; through the lights of Beacon Street and if you listen you can hear her weeping, she’s weeping, ’cause the gentlemen are calling and the snow is softly falling on her petticoats. And she’s standing in the harbor and she’s waiting for the sailors in the jolly boat. See how they approach.
With dirty hands and trousers torn they grapple ’til she’s safe within their keeping. A gag is placed between her lips to keep her sorry tongue from any speaking, or screaming. And they row her out to packets where the sailor’s sorry racket calls for maidenhead. And she’s scarce above the gunwales when her clothes fall to a bundle and she’s laid in bed on the upper deck.
And so she goes from ship to ship, her ankles clasped, her arms are rudely pinioned.’Til at last she’s satisfied the lot of the marina’s teeming minions, in their opinion.
And they tell her not to say a thing to cousin, kindred, kith or kin or she’ll end up dead. And they throw her thirty dollars and return her to the harbor where she goes to bed, and this is how you’re fed.
So be kind to your mother, though she may seem an awful bother, and the next time she tries to feed you collard greens, remember what she does when you’re asleep .
March 6, 2009
While Americans stick to a more modest one hour funeral service, Koreans engage in a four day marathon where the men of the family kowtow and bow (the get-on-your-knees-and-touch-the-floor-with-your-forehead kind). For the past 12 hours I’ve been standing in a row greeting all of Seoul academia and friends of my grandfather as they pay their respects. My feet hurt and my H&M pant suit pants are stretching. On a brighter note, I’m practicing my Korean and the family’s spirits are higher.
True to form, I managed to get a hold of the one Russian guy who came to the day long bonanaza and had a lengthy conversation with him in Russian. He’s literally my counterpart – he loves Korean [fill in the blank].
So we’ll be pretty much opening up shop for the next three days…the men lined up bowing and greeting as the visitors pay homage to a portrait of my grandfather in a wall of what seems a million flowers. Once that is done they make way into the next room where they pass a line of the women in black hambok who then give them their bows. Then they are off to another room where they are given their meals. They even have a living room and a bedroom for people to sleep in as they take shifts doing this. I’ll be here for the entire night, all of next morning and day, and repeat.
If you’re in the area, feel free to drop by and say hello. I already have one friend who is.
Pics will be posted soon when I get back to the states.
Oh by the way, the hospital/funeral home/flower shop/funeral clothing shop/all in one megaplaza is owned by Hyundai. There’s anyother one like this owned by Samsung not too far away. Can you imagine if a big company in the states went into a business like this?
March 4, 2009
I awoke Monday morning with a phone call at 6:00AM from my boss telling me that the snow storm had closed my office - I had monday off.
I sat in my bed watching CNN/Golden Girls till about around 9:30AM when I got a call from my dad telling me that I was going to be on a flight to Seoul that night.
It had been 11 years since I was in Korea and so this four day visit would be my second visit to the southern peninsula. It’s all moved so quickly. I called my boss, ran to the office to do some last minute work, and flew out to Korea.
What am I doing here? The grandfather isn’t doing too well, that’s an understatement. It’s only been about eight hours since I’ve been in Korea and altogether I think I’ve felt about a thousand emotions and “conclusive” conclusions.
I’ve realized my mother is a daughter who is losing her father.
I’ve realized that my mother is capable of crying out of pain and not just frustration.
I’ve realized that my father is a minister.
I’ve also realized that I’m Korean – and that there’s a corner in the world where I’m the majority.
That’s just a few of many things. I’m liking Korea so far. I’ve inhaled as much Korean food as humanly possible so far – that’s my only choice. I’ve also ODed on Korean soap operas and movies – thank you Asiana Airline.
I’ll be leaving soon enough. It’s been a short visit. It reminds me of when I went to Russia and makes me want to visit there again.
There’s more to my life than this small corner of Washington, DC it seems.
Also, I totally dress and look like a non-Korean. I think I’m also physically structured like a non-Korean. Must be the damn food.
February 25, 2009
Apparently, the Girl Scouts are selling cookies. Never have I heard such vivacious discussions on Samoans before. What the hell are Samoans? Anyhow…the secretary who was in charge of the food catering (refer to previous post), well she was kind enough to bring in a box, open it up, place it on her table, and put a signed decorated with highliter and flowers stating: PLEASE TAKE ONE.
I didn’t have lunch, and so i obliged. I took two. No one was watching…or so I had thought.
A few hours later she comes up to me and goes:
HER: John, did you try some of my cookies?
ME: Actually, I did – I have to admit, I did steal one. Thank you though.
HER: Oh, no problem…did you just take one?
Now at this point I wasn’t entirely sure if it her question was one of those “Just one?! Take more!” or if it was “You were only supposed to take one, as the sign instructed“. I was thinking this through when my mouth decided to answer for me:
Yes. I just took one.
Too late now. No going back.
HER: You took just one?
ME: Yah, just one cookie.
HER: Okay.
*pause*
*blank stare*
*pause*
What? What? Wha’cha gonna do, I took two and you can’t prove it!
HER: Okay John, well you go on and have a nice day.
ME: You too —-.
February 18, 2009
My roommate has officially introduced me to kool-aid and wow. All I can say is now I understand what the true meaning of “to drink the kool-aid” is. That stuff is amazing.
Onto more serious matters that have been occupying my mind as of late: graduate school, paying for graduate school, my current job, korean dramas/music, yelp.com…and yes i’m going to go there…being 23 and still single.
i’ve bitched and moaned about one issue or the other to a number of people so there’s really no need to go through the laundry list on a more mass medium like my blog…that’d just be selfish.
Who else is happy that “Senator” Burris might be under investigation? This arrogant prick built a sarcophagas to himself listing all his greatest achievements. Granted he’s a Democrat and could provide a filibuster proof Senate, I’d much rather have a closeted Republican than an pompous man like him.
And for the first time in years, Congressional approval is up! (Except for the Republicans).
It’s getting late…i’ll end with a haiku:
Again night comes pass
With bitter thoughts come anew
My contacts must go.
I hate sleeping with that stuff on, but i get too lazy.
December 23, 2008
Last night I ordered Chinese food for myself and had leftovers. I brought the leftover to work today for lunch. Come 12:00, I venture to the kitchen, microwave my food, return to my desk, and begin eating. At which a lady passes by saying:
“Oh, smells delicious! Look at that! Did you make that yourself?”
“This? No.”
I was eating out of the fuckin’ Chinese take out box – the one with “Thank You” and Chinese Pagodas pastlered all along the side.
What the hell.
December 10, 2008
I was sitting in my living room on an air mattress (aka couch) playing my PS2 having eaten ramen for dinner when I got a text message from a close high school friend (graduated the same year):
I’M ENGAGED!!!
We went back and forth with congratulations and remarks. What the heck. Here she was at the age of 23/24 and she was already engaged. Where was I in that department? By all means, I’m not complaining about my romantic life – not at all. I’m perfectly happy with my current position….right? But goodness, she was engaged and soon to get married. Many people dismiss things off saying “I have my career to worry about” or “I want to live single” and those are all fine. But I think there’s almost a sense of accomplishment in finding “the one” (and no, not Obama silly…muhahahaa).
My highschool reunion, a few weeks back I had a long conversation with another friend of mine on the issue of career versus companionship. What is success and how does one measure – I have no idea.
I have no idea what this entry’s about. But congratulations Ayami!!!
