Stories and Predictions for the 2015 NHL Season

I have hopped into my first hockey pool of the 2014-15 NHL season and now I've been doing research for the past hour looking at contract years, trades, signings, and gossip/Instagrams during the off season. All really exciting stuff. However, summer sagas like The Summer of Gino does not compare to the action on the ice. From the dangles to the post-game chirps (not tweets) there's is nothing like watching this game that combines grit and finesse. There has been a huge shift in the powers this year and the West has become significantly stronger than the East, making the Prince of Wales Trophy the ticket to Division 1 hockey. Regardless I look forward to a long season of goals, hits, and crying in the shower after Leaf games. As always, the awards and playoff bound teams follow the stories.

(South)West Coast = Best Coast:

Dallas Stars on the Rise: 

I started really following hockey the year Dallas won the cup at the turn of the century. The roster hasn't been in form to a long time to make a push, until now. Grabbing Ales Hemsky and Jason Spezza the Stars have a very good second line to follow up the 4th and 5th leading scorers of last year. There's a lot of depth on the roster now with a lot of players who have made it to the big dance and a couple who actually have their name on the cup. It's a brilliant mix of young talent and veterans who aren't just old but actually show up for the playoffs. This will be a team to watch every night. 

Kings of the Rink: 

Every time I look at this roster I'm amazed that this is even possible. I'm probably the biggest Jeff Carter fan in the world because he just scores goals like nobody's business.  Then you have Marian Gaborik, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown, Mike Richards, Justin "Mr. Game 7" Williams, and Johnathan Quick backing them up? It's almost unfair. With kids on the rise, Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson, the Kings probably won't even need to dip into free agency to keep winning for the next few years. Like always, they'll save themselves for the playoffs and limp in. They know the playoffs are a whole new season and after breaking the hearts of every Sharks fan the sky's the limit.   

Fresh Snow:

Up in the snowy mountains of Denver, Colorado, Patrick Roy and his pack of young snipers (and Daniel Briere, 36) are preparing for another run at the pennant. Losing Stastny was a big blow, but there's so much potential in this roster (17 players who are 27 or younger) his name could be forgotten by December. I'm excited to see who will step up and fill the void Stastny left and if Varlamov can perform like last year. And deep down, like everybody else outside of Pittsburgh, I want MacKinnon to have more points than Crosby at the end of the season and a better beard in the playoffs. 
  
Kesler in Disneyland:

After three average seasons in Vancouver, one where he only played 17 games, Ryan Kesler needed a change in scenery. Enter the one-line team of Anaheim. The Ducks managed to get to the 2nd round of the playoffs with arguably two forwards and a brilliant goaltending committee. Now the Ducks have a fortified second-line centre, and Kesler gets an upgrade from the Sedin sisters on the powerplay. If Kesler stays healthy and learns how to play with his new teammates in the Boudreau system he could eclipse 70 points again. Now 30, Kesler is looking to win now and he might be going to Disneyland in both senses of the word.
       
Van-City Rebuild:

I don't know what to think of what this new GM is doing in Vancouver, dropping Luongo for Miller, who is just a year younger. I don't think either goalie will be in the playoffs this year, or even next year. I'll get to Lou soon, but the Canucks have to start building from the ground up after a few bizarre trades in the Gillis era. The Sedins will be anchor the team offensively and maybe they'll have a surprise or two from their young stars and Nick Bonino. Expectations are not what they were four years ago and being in the toughest division in the NHL the Canucks will be bottom feeders. Come January don't be surprised if you start hearing whispers of McDavid. 

Oil Slick:

Every year since Taylor Hall went first overall, I've been saying this is the year for Edmonton. Now I'm all in on this team. Why? Because Mac-T is in the GM's box! Tradition in a city such as Edmonton has a lot of value and having been a player and coach prior to this Craig MacTavish will do great things for this team. My bold prediction will be he'll do the same thing he did when Edmonton went to the cup finals in '06 and grab some legendary player (that year it was Chris Pronger). Hall, Eberle, RNH, are all great players and hopefully the bottom six can follow their lead and get Edmonton into the playoffs as a wildcard.

   
The Curse of Brian Burke:

Brian Burke's teunre in Toronto is comparable to a mechanic fixing a muffler on a car, then leaving it in the ditch. Now in Calgary, Burke is riding the players he picked up from his past jobs. Joe Colborne and Jonas Hiller are back with Burke and I refuse to believe that these are good moves. Flames fans will know its over when he signs Colton Orr. I am very biased when talking about Burke, I hope he continues to lose. However, with players due for a break out year (Mikael Backlund especially) Calgary will be on the outside looking unless something goes awry. With Burke in the box though, that's not going to happen.  

Open Doors:

After the collapse the San Jose Sharks had in the playoffs last year, I thought changes would happen. They didn't though. I don't know if this is because the Sharks think they ran into bad luck, not poor play, and the team will redeem themselves this season. Honestly, the guard needs to change: Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau were great players. With Pavelski and Couture on the rise to stardom followed closely by the hands of Tomas Hertl, the Sharks can afford to dump their aging players and clear some cap space to fill some holes. The Sharks have never done well in the playoffs and it pains me to say this but I don't think Joe Thornton will ever make it there, dump the old bones, Wilson.   

The Average East:

The Streak: 

For 23 years the Detroit Red Wings have been in the playoffs. Will it continue? Maybe, anything can happen in the East. The number of bubble teams is very high and Detroit isn't a lock for the top 3 just like last year. I'd take Zetterberg and Datsyuk before Thornton and Marleau any day but I question everything else on the team. Ken Holland has done a really good job for the past two decades and Mike Babcock is a great coach, all in all though, Detroit is a middle of the pack team talent-wise and their chance to get into the playoffs is slim. They'll be ahead of Buffalo and Ottawa at the end of the season. 

The Lowly Lowly Leafs:

I beleaf it can happen this year. With the Raptors getting to the playoffs last year, the city has to be hungry for more playoffs. I've been following the moves the Leafs have made over the summer and I like the sounds of them. I figure with Kessel, JVR and Bozak working together for a full season they'll all have at least 60 points a piece. Matchy-matchers Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly need to step up big for the team. The only thing that won't change is Johnathan Bernier putting the team on his back night in and night out. Clarkson better have more than 11 points or he'll be wearing a Marlies jersey in 2016. No collapse this year, Leafs are playoff bound! 

The Dichotomy in Florida:

Down south Tampa Bay has gotten a lot better and Florida is just aiming to get to the cap floor. With a healthy Steven Stamkos and two Calder nominees from last year and Ben Bishop this team is entering a golden age. I don't know if Drouin will make the squad this year but I wouldn't rush him even if he says he's ready. Now, let's talk about the bad stuff, the Panthers have overpaid a lot of players. I don't know if there's a plan in motion but signing Stanley Cup Champions like Dave Bolland and Shawn Thornton aren't going to turn a team around. As a Leafs fan, if they tank I will cheer, and I expect to cheer a lot.   

BLOvechkin:

Adam Oates had the opportunity to turn Alex Ovechkin's career around, and did, but still got fired. Now Barry Trotz has been given the reigns to the enigma that is Alex Ovechkin and his scoring touch. If Trotz can get JP Dumont 70+ points consistently Ovechkin can get back to triple digits. Whether the team wins or not is a completely different question because Nashville wasn't under Trotz. Ovechkin has hit 50+ goals only once in the past 4 years and entering his tenth season in the NHL this could be a sign of things to come, which is a shame for one of sports' most exciting players in the Aughts. 

The Tavares Complex:

John Tavares has quietly become a force to be reckoned with on the Island. After the Islanders stepped up their game in the off season with big moves and signings John Tavares has a very excellent cast around him, and I think he'll enjoy playing with the new recruits. Leaf fan talking here, Grabo and Kulemin are very good two-way forwards for an Eastern conference team, if they play well the Islanders will be in the playoffs. The other X-factor is Jaro Halak who made his name in the playoffs and will probably steal a handful of games for the Isles too. Tavares will make magic out of nothing for another year and hopefully will be rewarded with some hardware finally.

Penguins can Swim, But Can They Learn to Fly again?

With Jim Rutherford sitting in Ray Shero's old chair, take it as a sign winning in the regular season isn't enough for Mario and co. When you have a roster that has two marquee names cup runs are expected every year. Sidney Crosby pulled his weight winning the Art Ross as the only player to hit triple digits in points. Malkin is also a point a game player and the two combined talents allows Chris Kunitz to be a scoring threat every game. But that isn't enough anymore. The back end and bottom half of the forwards needs a shake-up and that's what Rutherford will do, just like he managed in Carolina. The Pens are very much playoff contender on paper but whether Bylsma is still the man for the job is another question.
  
Jaromir Milestones:

Behold! The only reason to watch a Devils game! Jagr is a legend all his own and this season will be another season where he can eclipse some pretty historical milestones. He needs thirteen goals to pass Phil Esposito (717) for fifth all-time. He's currently tied with Steve Yzerman for sixth all-time in points (1755) and if he manages to put up 44 this season he can surpass former teammate Ron Francis for fourth! That'd be huge, and if anyone can do it's Jaromir Jagr. If he brings back the mullet it'll happen 100%. He won't end his career hoisting the cup but he's a first ballot Hall of Famer.   

Trophies: 

The Hart: 

Crosby had a redemption year last year after suffering from post-concussion syndrome and if the pattern holds true Steven Stamkos will bounce back from his broken leg to win the Hart. He puts the puck in the net and that's how you win games and he'll help the Lightning win a bunch.

The Norris:

Mike Green. There are a lot of talented d-men in the league that each have their own special talent. I always look for a player on a winning team that wins the close games where defense, not goaltending, is the winning factor. I think with Trotz behind the bench Green can blossom as a powerplay quarterback and put up number similar to Shea Weber. 

The Vezina:

I didn't talk about this team above but I think Columbus is going to come out blazing this year and they will be a team that leans on Sergei Bobrovsky to win them at least 10 games on his own this season. Rask and Quick will be the other nominees.

The Frank Selke:

There is no other choice than Anze Kopitar. The guy is a human multi-tool. Any scenario he'll win the draw and get the job done. The guy only has so many fingers, let him win something he can put on his mantle.

The Byng:

Ryan O'Reilly won it last year, that really surprised me. Anyways I still think the soft-handed and soft-hearted Patrick Kane can get it and prevent the very unlikely repeat.  

The Calder: This is a very interesting award because I don't even know which draft picks are going to be starting in the NHL. Ekblad seems like a lock on defense but I don't see he him breaking out. Calgary has put out some talented young guns and I think Sam Bennett can be another Sean Monahan and surprise some people. If he's eligible for it Jonathan Drouin will give Bennett a run for his money.

The Ted Lindsay: The NHLPA does the voting here so its a peer-on-peer assessment. I'd argue it's much more prestigious than the Hart. John Tavares has the potential for a great season and he'll be classified as a franchise player after this season.
The Art Ross: Alex Ovechkin returns to form going from Blow to OH!! No slumping and a lot of rebound assists.
The Richard: Obviously Steven Stamkos: registers ten more goals than second place. 
The GM of the Year: Lots of teams made some off season moves to beef up their team for the long season but only two stood out to me as legit power moves. Those were Garth Snow and Steve Yzerman. I have the Lightning winning their division but I think getting the Isles back in the playoffs will give Snow a trophy.
Jack Adams:

Division Champs:

Metropolitan Division Top 3

1. Boston Bruins
2. Tampa Bay Lightning
3. Toronto Maple Leafs

Atlantic Division Top 3

1. Washington Capitals
2. Columbus Blue Jackets
3. Pittsburgh Penguins

East Wildcards: 

The Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders

Pacific Division Top 3

1. Anaheim Ducks

2. San Jose Sharks

3. Los Angeles Kings

Central Division Top 3

1. Dallas Stars

2. Chicago Blackhawks

3. Colorado Avalanche

West Wildcards:

Edmonton Oilers and St. Louis Blues

Prince of Wales Trophy: Boston Bruins

Clarence S. Campbell Trophy: Dallas Stars

Stanley Cup: Dallas Stars Seguin goes 2-0 for his career in the Stanley Cup finals. Leaf fans lament trading him for Kessel all summer. 

That's it everybody, I hope you enjoy the hockey season as much as I do. Sorry I started with a bunch of links then it sorted of died off. It's just to hot to care though.

Keep your stick on the ice,

Shraham

The closing hours

I'm at my desk wondering how I'll spend the next day in a half in Korea.

Dinner with friends, possibly get a haircut, hit up a bathhouse, pay a cleaning lady for cleaning my apartment (laziness!) and hanging out at a desk that feels like a home away from home while writing to you, the ever so beautiful reader.

There have been points in the past two or three weeks where I've gone off the deep-end into a bottle and it's my attempt to fill a void here because my life in Korea has run its course. I've been watery-eyed a lot of times saying goodbyes but the dam has yet to break. It's only inevitable, it might not happen because there are arms to wrap myself in.

Travelling abroad has become a rite of passage for my generation and what we dig out of six months or ten years carries us through the rest of our lives. I've tried reflecting on what I've pulled out from these two years but there's so much. You become worldly (maybe that words too pretentious, oh well) after travelling. It's simple to go on vacation somewhere but its not as authentic as having a two years worth of exploring. Korea is a landing pad for Asia but there's so much on the pad some people could just stay here and see all of the beautiful microcosms in the mountains, rivers, and islands. 

I'll really miss this place as a whole. I feel like I've said this so many times but there's something magical about this peninsula. With technology too it's never goodbye with stuff like facebook, messengers and email.

I doubt I'll be writing pieces like this in my next outfit because of several reasons, so unless I'm bored tomorrow this will be the last piece for a while.    

Recovered Journal Entry

I'm starting to clean and reorganize my desk at work before I leave. I was flipping through that Korean agenda I bought for a blank page to write out a to do list when I found this.

04/17/2014

There's a power outage in the school. everything is down, even the water cooler. I'm contemplating whether or not to venture out and see if its the whole block or if I can just buy water. Then of course there are lesson plans: everything is run off the computer including all the skits and, welp, everything. I have a feeling notebook study is happening today. There's enough natural light. How the hell are they going to make lunch!
I just tried to turn my computer on, again. It's in these moments of peril  First-world peril that make me realize how stupid I am. I'm PPT-less, I'm without internet, I DON'T EVEN have spellcheck. How can I teach, how can I know things to teach. I'm just so thirsty. All I want is water, liquid, ice, snow, anything to parch my desert-dry throat.

Umbrella

We get a newsletter once and a while at school and it presents a bunch of student work. It's really cool and I'm sure the kids love it when their work is in it. This time around one of my favorite students wrote a poem that was put into the school-wide portfolio. It was only six lines so I plugged it into the translator and this is what it gave me:

Today is a rainy day
All the umbrellas Chardonnay

Holding umbrellas in various colors
Walking walking street

Pretty umbrella roadside
Me of the rainbow road

From this perspective its very eloquent, dare I say the most elegant piece of work to come out of google translator?  Regardless, I was impressed to say the least. This student is one of the higher achieving kids in my after school class. I wouldn't be surprised if she could translate half of it herself. Her parents are very cultured based on how she acts and the fact they both speak English.

In the end of it all it's really cool to see these accomplishments because I don't have the opportunity to see them do anything other than English and gives a little more insight into what they like without having these drawn out conversations to the question: "What do you like to do?"

This is just a bonus:  One section they have student art the half page consists of three Grade 2 works and one Grade 6 piece. Awkward? Embarrassing? I like the kid, I hope it's a typo.

I edididid

One of my co-teachers, Jennifer, has been planning an open class for the past two weeks. When she started this year we would be co-teaching the class but since I'm leaving in August I don't need to because it's a two-part presentation. I was a little disappointed about it in the beginning but now I'm happy I'm just an adviser.

She's a really good teacher and one thing I admire in her teaching style is her perfectionism. Especially something this important. I don't know what the story is because it was supposed to be due on Tuesday but now it's Friday and she's still touching in up. She has developed a six-page play-by-play lesson plan for the class that happens in a month! I'm not going to talk about what the lesson plan looks like but I'm going to give you couple common mistakes I've encountered while editing.

Sometimes you just hear words and never see them written: 

Jennifer came into my office a couple days ago (She's dropped by everyday, but this was probably the funniest one) walking me through her open class game. It's a really complicated game. Each student get  a worksheet and dice; if you can't read you need to grab the yellow worksheet and the dice with words; if you can read take the pink worksheet and the die with pictures.

That I understood. Then she started talking about grounds. "The students will roll the dice three times each ground. There are three grounds."

Seeing the printed word really in the lesson plan really confused me. I was just, like, "what is a ground." Then I was like, "Oh, a round."  We both laughed as I put my hands on my face in bewilderment and she did the same in embarrassment.

Wordiness:

Two of my CTs talk in a very eloquent way. Sometimes its very eloquent when they ask students, "How did the man address the woman in the video clip?" Other times it shows they haven't been to a recent course in education when they refer to children with learning disabilities as "handicapped," but we're working on it. Just like me, I try to make my writing more pristine when addressing my peers, but half the time you cut the crap out in editing. One thing that kept coming up was "write the name of the food," I guess if you said it with a British accent it might pass but not a Korean or North American one. I'd just say, "Write down the food." From experience when kids here the the word "name," there's potential at least one kid will write their name instead of a food. Tip to all teachers: Keep it simple, sexy.   

Speed-typing:

Jennifer, mother, new ESL teacher, master's student, and a secondary workhorse in the admin office, she's crazy busy and types super fast like everyone that isn't me. You can see it some days where she's just dog-tired but still plugs away. That's what I'll attribute to her minor mistakes. Sometimes words are stuck together, typos, mysterious upper case letters, all part of being fast. Plus, when you know you're not editing the piece you never look it over when you're done.

All in all, I'm hoping today is the last day of this because now I need to lesson plan. I've made a unit plan  for my Grade 3 and 4 after school programs. I did it in one lesson with my older classes but it left a lot to be desired and was a lot rougher around the edges. Since every kid likes animals I've proposed to make a mind map of the kids' favorite animals. They'll list 6-8 things about the animal and then draw their animal at the center of the mind map. I think it'll be fun, and it gives me the opportunity to put some student work up on the board in library and classroom. TGIF this birds flying the coop!

Hired and Wired

I've been pretty busy lately, this school year actually, I'm not making as many posts as I'd like to but I'm planning to enjoy my last four months in Korea. That's right, I'm moving! Korea will only be with me in spirit come September 2014. I've been hired as a home room teacher in a Middle-Eastern International School. I'm really excited to continue my adventure in Asia and live up to the name "Traveling Teacher." The contract is two years and that's exactly what I'd like: A year to figure it out, another one to build on it and to decide whether or not the climate is for me.

This opportunity excites me just like Korea although I think I'll have less free time to explore and engage myself in the new country. The weather will be pretty hot but school starts early in the day so hopefully naps can happen through the hot afternoons. Especially those first 5 days. The experience is going to be completely different from Korea, I'll have a chunk more lesson planning to do but mentors to help me through it. I'm just generally excited to get on with this new chapter.

After yesterday, I was almost ready to pack my bags and high-tail it out of the school. It wasn't the kids, it was the staff. Our annual volleyball tourney is starting and our gymless school is signed up. Firstly, I don't enjoy the fact its nine players a side, there are more rally points but at the same time the court is too congested. They put me at the net and I was pretty pumped thinking the setter would send some balls my way. Fat chance. Instead the new gym teacher, the king of the court, plays behind me and jumps up for every hit. The old guard of the volleyball crew (we're not a team) have the formula of setting it to the king. He probably hits at a 10% success rate. After the fifth time he came up to the net to hit the ball out of bounds I was checked-out of the game. Then I called for a ball and he jumped into me. I actually told him off after that because he has a big frame and if I break any bone in my body playing some rec league volleyball game I'll go apeshit. I told him to talk to me and that didn't change anything. "Oh that's because he probably doesn't speak English." No, you idiot, he's actually the go-between for everyone else on the team. Then I had dinner after with no one who speaks English and it was so brutal. The two eldest teachers with the most headway at the table talked the whole time and no one made any effort to make a side conversation. At least the food was good. Apologies for ranting.

I'm still writing a post about how Korea was twisting my arm to stay and I could barely feel it. It still does on some days but yesterday, that was a tipping point. I'm thinking of conjuring up an excuse to make the next time we play. Who ever leads us on the court does an awful job, you couldn't even tell we worked in the same school. Our two new guys did a really good job but still it's all individual they got most of our points off of blocks. I guess, my rotten mood came down to the team crew dynamic. There isn't a lot of pressure on this new school staff, it'll just be nice to have an intelligent conversation with a co-worker about something beyond the weather. I'm just peeking over the fence and the grass certainly looks greener on the other side.

Malaysia: Arriving in Mabul

02/25/2014 co-written with The Organizer

We woke up early without an alarm. A little groggy but nothing bad like a soju night. We headed down to the main office for a complimentary breakfast. BP&Js on toast with gritty instant coffee. Bills were paid, goodbyes were said, thanks were given and off we went to Uncle Chang's port. I didn't bring a lot of money with me and took my VISA to make life more convenient; in hindsight it was a stupid idea. I didn't have enough money for Uncle Chang's and the only ATM in Semporna couldn't read my card. So Uncle Chang's is on my VISA (so I have to behave myself). Regardless, everything got sorted out and we traveled to Mabul Island. 

On our boat was a hilarious troupe of Chinese people, varying from infancy to old age, who took at least four hundred photos between five cameras. They would hop from side to side taking pictures with one another. Now I know why its called a Chinese fire drill. We made our way into a couple photos too. One guy even nudged himself onto the seat next to the driver and pretended he was driving. Man, oh man, did he laugh. It was in that throaty sound you make when your choking but you're really excited, and then they all started laughing. The three of us shared this look asking how much longer can this last. I felt so sorry for that baby. 

When we got to Mabul reality sunk in. There were half-clothed children paddling boats, children bailing out the same boats while the smallest children put fingers to their mouths begging for food. Welcome to the third world.

In some instances this is not something humbling for the islanders, some are kings in their own mind because they know the place and everybody in it. The staff is very free-flowing with friends swinging by and just a general lazy demeanor around the island. 

We went on our first snorkel and left our bags on the boat. Luckily I didn't leave any Malaysian money in my bag. My two friends weren't so lucky. We kept all of our $ in the office safe but didn't think the change from paying for the trip would go missing. One lost fifty Ringgit and the other lost 130 (three ringgit is roughly a dollar). That settled all the trust issues we had with the boat driver and the staff. The Pirates of Indonesia are charging north picking on the foreigners. Beware, tourists, looks are deceiving.

Later that night we were playing Rummy and some people watched, didn't understand, then walked away. Others who noticed we were slamming Tigers hung around to witness the antics or enjoy them with us. At this point I had no patience for their attitudes. I got to play some guitar though, Young's "Southern Man" with a harmonica solo from another guest, "Lose Yourself," some Jackie J and something else... I think. Regardless in all the fun our cards disappeared. 

This place has already received a terrible a review, just to prove that "What happens on Mabul doesn't stay on Mabul." I shouldn't rag on all the staff some are really nice and helpful but some lack a work ethic.

Example: Another night, I had my older brother moment babysitting the drunk bartender as he puked over the walkway into the ocean before midnight... I think. I might have been drunk too. 

           

Tawau, Malaysia

02/24/2014

I have three hours to kill. I walked to the end of the parking lot and took some photos along the way.

This is like those bobbing dogs except it was a flower.

Then I had first lunch: a bowl of spicy chicken soup in the shade. It had noodles, fish cakes balls, noodles, a couple kaffir leafs, chicken, and some cabbage. Overall, Malaysian food is living up to what I've heard and seen on Facebook/ Instagram plus its cheap. Just had my second lunch which was a little more expensive and not as flavorful but at the same time it had canned mushrooms in the sauce and that brought be back to family dinners in university. 

While waiting at the arrival gate I ran into a guy from Uncle Chang's, our hostel, was waiting outside the arrivals just like me. As I approached him and asked who he was picking up the guy seemed to only have "Yes" in his English repertoire. My friends got out of baggage claim and I was so excited that I had contributed to the trip (Disclaimer: I planned literally nothing for this trip). The organizer looked me straight in the face, "We sleep there tomorrow." Damn. The guy still gave us a ride to Semporna, our final destination of the day. We listened to "different" club music the whole way there.

He dropped us off at our hostel and gave us his name and number so he can drive us back to Tawau for a discount. Our hostel was pretty small a twin and queen filled the main room. The bathroom was pretty rustic but cleaner than mine (we'd have a problem if it wasn't). After dropping off our bags we explored the small coastal city of Semporna. We found a really cool mosque.

That was the prettiest thing in the area. Besides that there was a fish-filled market that had some less than fresh smells, hecklers, and sweet-talkers. Of course there's also just a huge mound of garbage right beside the water too. We stopped at the Western Bar on the patio and had a bunch of drinks. It was a really solid place until you got a warm breeze from the garbage heap. I found it really hard to get wasted because it was so humid, I was perspiring like nobody's business. Our collective bar tab was $60 which is awesome for roughly 3 hours of drinking. We woke up reasonably early to get our boat to Mabul but it was easy with sun out.  

Malaysia: Wakey Wakey

02/23/2014 - 02/24/2014

We got into the hotel late. The three of us took our time to settle in: figuring out the Air Con and the score in the Gold Medal game (Yay Canada). My flight the following day was at 7:10 so I asked for a wake-up call. The shuttle came at every hour on the hour so I needed to be downstairs by 5:00. My wake-up call was at 4:30. Just brutal. I blindly grabbed for the phone and ended up flipping it over. I got up and walked outside greeted by darkness.

Gradually more people came down. I met a Canadian who works at one of the universities in Seoul and an Environmental Studies Student from the states. The E.S. girl is here for reasons too complicated to understand in the early hours of the day. I was one of the first people to get into the shuttle bus that morning, with the prof from Seoul. The last two people down were a man and a Muslim woman. At this point there was an empty seat up front with the driver and one next to the prof. I had to move to accommodate the woman who can't sit next to a man she's never met before. That was the first culture shock of the trip. I guess shock is the wrong word; I'm just not used to the custom. We, the North Americans, made enough small talk to make the ride seem shorter than it was (fun fact Denmark had 17 HOURS of sunlight in a month during the winter of 2013) then got out of the shuttle and went our separate ways.

I went through the airport rapid-fast thanks to online check-in. I got to my gate and wandered in search of food. Buy+Fly was the only place open with something substantial to eat. The rice here, there's something about it. The grains seem buttery, soft, and not clumpy at all. Ideally I wish I could take some back with me but I feel Koreans would take that as well as one takes a slap in the face.

I was on the plane before the sun was up. Now, above the clouds, the sky is a bright blue. I land in Tawau and will wait in the airport for my friends plane to arrive in three hours. I'll have no idea what I'll do but I'm hoping to get some flip-flops because the toe thong on my left one continuously pops out.

As I sit here, too tired to read, I'm realizing that having a mobile device to watch TV is a very good investment because I don't think airplanes will install personal TVs anymore because of smart phones and tablets.

Malaysia: Togetherness

02/23/2014

On our way to the airport the three of us met up at the interchange station and headed out to the airport together. When we got there we all changed our money over. One of us didn't bring cash to exchange and opted to use a VISA. That doesn't fly. So she went up to her bank's airport branch only to realize she didn't have her bank card. I can understand this, bar-proof your wallet so if you lose your wallet you don't have to rebuild your life after your vacation (or a drunken adventure). She got on her phone to her boyfriend, then the bank, then back to the boyfriend. They tried several ways to figure this out (I was busy reading and perusing the airport occupying my mind and trying not worry.) Eventually the ever-loving boyfriend cabbed down to the airport, she pulled out her money, exchanged it, and then it was a mad dash* through security.We got to the gate as it was boarding.
*That's kind of a lie. We put our carry-ons through the x-ray machine. Guess whose bag gets flagged? After the ordeal with bank card issues my friend had left something in her bag. It gets worse, the personnel couldn't find it on the first try. He took it back to the x-ray machine to see if he could relocate it! I don't blame him, there were about twenty pockets on the pack. We jumped through immigration and walked right onto the plane. Good thing we came early.

According to the pamphlet on the plane these are ten things to do in Malaysia.

1. Eat nasi lemak.
2. Drink coffee from a saucer
3. Make lots of friends.
4. Call home.
5. Eat with your hands.
6. Haggle, haggle, haggle at Petaling street.
7. Hang out at a local coffee shop.
8. Learn the language.
9. Go "mamak"ing 'til late.
10. Don't get ripped off on mobile plans.

I did 1, 3(is 10 lots??), 5(a sandwich), 9 (twice), and 10 by not using a phone at all.

Through the Eyes of the Waygook: A Trip to the Dentist 2: Rebooted

So I went to the dentist on Friday. I brushed my teeth at home then went straight there, thinking they'd be really impressed by the freshness of my breath. I received no compliments what so ever. The dentist sat next to me first and explained what would happen since his hygienist doesn't speak English. So they put this red stuff in my mouth that would mark where I'm not brushing. They cleaned my teeth afterwards. The dentist came back with a big plastic mouth and an over-sized toothbrush in his hands.
"My hygienist will show you how to brush."

Apparently I've been doing it wrong. You need to sweep from your gums to the tips of your teeth. The countless times I've been to the dentist and I've never heard such an idea (or I could have been day-dreaming) the idea there's another technique seems unfathomable. Even in the commercials they're doing it wrong. Either way certain people were worried I had a cavity but I don't which is nice to hear.  The total cost was 10,000 won and half an hour of my time.

Thank you, Korea. You've shown me the path to healthier teeth and presumably gums as well. For a very minimal price too. I guess I can always learn lessons anywhere you go.

...I know I've been slacking on blogs. I'm being productive elsewhere but as far as I know I have a Saturday to myself so I'm going blog crazy. I don't know how many I'll type off but it should be around 7-11 mmmm Slurpees.  

Through the Eyes of the Waygook: A trip to the Dentist 1

I booked an appointment to go to the dentist before I left for Malaysia and went in last Friday. I have never really liked going to the dentist but my parents have reminded me time and time again that tremendous amounts of money have been put into my smile. I also figured it would be something fun to blog about and experience.

When I got into the waiting room the secretary told me to wait a few minutes so I sat down on a leather couch and took in the fung-shui of the room. There was a white tree in the middle of the room with silver balls, Christmas ornaments, scattered around the roots. On one of the side tables there were magazines and a full pot of coffee. Coffee? Yes -- you could get water from a tap.

I was called in by the secretary/ hygienist who sat me in an elaborate chair. The chairs weren't sanctioned off by walls and you could see the other patients going under the drill. The chairs themselves were futuristic or maybe my dentist back home is old school. There was a screen, tap and sink, and a built-in tray for all the instruments. The first portion of the check-up was a photo session in my mouth. I had forgotten how many cavities I had and when they took four shots of each molar from different angles it made me feel as if my whole mouth was full of metal. The dentist stopped by and explained in English (co-teacher worthy English) that there was some build-up in spots and his hygienist would clean my teeth.

This is where I feel I didn't get all that I wanted. Now that I think about it, my dentist definitely polished my teeth too, this lady just cleaned them. Koreans have this insecurity about closing their eyes in front of strangers,  (this is an assumption) so just like when you get your hair shampooed, you get a flat plastic doughnut that covers everything but your nose and mouth. The cleaning didn't feel great, they swabbed my mouth with something that had a eucalyptus flavor and that was that.

After coming back into the waiting room, the secretary rang me up. Originally when I saw the bill it said 13,1700 and I almost flipped out. She just dangles her sevens. It came to 13,700, I booked a follow-up in two weeks. . The dentist came out to say goodbye. Before I left I asked him what the best toothpaste to buy was and he said all of them are good. That's the first time a dentist hasn't shown any lean towards the toothpaste that they use. I kind of wish I could fly home and get the expected treatment the same dentist I've had since before I can remember, maybe he'll even except my Korean Insurance.

Costco

On Wednesday I went to the Korean Costco for the first time. The people I went with usually went about every one or two months. They were shocked I had never gone. Quite simply, I rarely ate cheese before I left Canada unless it was an appetizer at a party or on pizza. Living in Korea, I've taken cheese out of my diet unless I take out a pizza. I also just settle with Korean food, BBQ is great, as our pork and beef soups, and all those greens native to Korea. Oh, and rice, can't forget that staple.  

Shopping at Costco has opened my eyes to a little piece of the West just off of the Nakdong River. Big bags of meat, literal bricks of cheese, cheesy pastas, legitimate bread, and soooo many free samples. They had beef that melts in your mouth, danishes that'll cream your jeans, champagne, cheeses, and spam with rice in a cup! Okay that last one sucked, but it was free. I wish I lived close by... and had a  Costco card.

How has this changed my life? I bought two bricks of cheese, three half-loaves of WHOLEWHEAT bread (a rarity in Korea) and cold cuts (another rarity). They've been the cornerstones of my meals at home which have been grilled cheese sandwiches. If I'm ever going to turn into a pudgy-ball again this is the time. I have some much cheese, I don't know what to do with it.

When we got into Costco there is a little eatery set up where you can order pizza, and these baked sandwiches. I went with pizza because despite this being a little piece of the west Koreans still run the mega store. Everything looked good,  I wasn't in the mood to take my time with a decision. I was in sensory overload for a good fifteen minutes just admiring the towers of toiletries, clothes, grub and all the smells.  Oh the smells. In the end I only spent about 85,000 won. I would have gotten more but my freezer is a piece of shit. (Blog/Image To Be Posted).

Costco is good. No, it's wonderful; a very nice break from my usual grocery shopping experience. If you ever get homesick go there.        

Update: School Year, back from Malaysia

Less than 24 hours since getting off the plane from KL I'm back at school. New schedule, new co-teachers and four dudes in the specialist room (it's never been more than two). I'm pretty excited, but also very tired from over thinking and planning. I read an article about how to be proactive at work and came in today thinking I was gonna grab my job by the balls and be on top of my game before lunch. Of course that didn't really happen but I'll give myself until the end of the week to get everything in order.

I was the first one in the office and opened up the windows to air the room out. Busan is beginning to feel like spring. Surprisingly, my computer has been rebooted (thank goodness for back-ups) and stripped to the bones so I needed to download Chrome, then transfer all my PPTs and work sheets. I went downstairs to the English Library to find that some binders have been filled with standard ESL Reading Comprehension worksheets. That's one less thing I have to do this week. 

I go my course schedule and I'm starting the year off with Grade 3s and 5s. My after school programs are similar but my head teacher wants them to be geared towards speaking as opposed to reading and writing. I also have a drama club that I'm co-teaching which I'm excited and incredibly petrified of because I have the reigns and zero guidelines. The year's shaping up to be an interesting one I'm just not sure whether or not it's going to be a semester that encourages me to stay another year. I'm feeling ready for the week despite not really getting a solid recharge from my vacation. 

Malaysia was a cool place, I just wish I had contributed to planning the trip. I felt I didn't get to settle/explore the areas and "experience" Malaysia as much as I wanted to, but I'm planning on posting everything I wrote down by the end of the week. One factor out of my control is I took pictures until my battery died which was on Monday; so I'll be stealing photos from my friends but I'd probably do that anyway: they've got better cameras, itchy fingers, and talent taking photos. 

 

Here's to another semester!

What a day!

My day started off waking up in a tornado of blankets and a spinning head. The blinding light from outside forced me out of bed and down to my fridge for some water to nurse the pain brought on by the night before. I looked at my desk and found several Ultimate plays on a pad of paper, none of them made sense. I moseyed around my apartment eating what I could scrounge, had a shower, then watched an episode of the Wire.

I went outside to be greeted by a beautiful day and grabbed a coffee for the road. Still slightly hungover, I drank my coffee and listened to Jack Johnson's latest album and it made me want to just lay out on Gwangan for the rest of the day. But I had a doctor's appointment to deal with first.  I'm completely used to the routine now. Visit my doctor's office, get a ticket for an x-ray, take two x-rays, go back and have a consultation with my doctor. That last part was different today. The foreigner aid of the hospital was waiting for me when I came back to my doctor's office. Apparently my doctor had quit so I have a new doctor.

He was a younger, leaner guy with a semi-perm going on. There was something weird about his glasses that gave me the impression he wasn't a genuinely nice person. One of those strict, genius kind of doctors. He showed me the x-rays and explained to our go-between that everything was good. He didn't seem to address me at all but poked around my clavicle pretty thoroughly. Then he pitched a curveball: he thinks I should consider removing the plate in my collarbone. Obviously a million red flags went up in my head. He didn't say to do it immediately, it should be done after a year. Based off this elaborate diagram he drew me my bone can become weaker due to the plate on top of it. I asked to have all my medical files emailed (first attempt failed) to me so I can consult with my Canadian doctor about what's in best interest. I paid my bill and left the hospital, that was the last appointment apparently too.

It was such a nice day I decided to swing by my school and do a little bit of work. I found out I have two new co-teachers, not just one, so that's exciting. I still have my space cadet but I'm quite fine with that. I did some remodeling in my library and made a list of things I need to do before my first class.

I hadn't been in the library for a long time because it isn't heated and my computer is from the stone age. I tidied up and found wads of students' work from my after school class. It got me thinking how my Grade 3s are going into Grade 5 in March! Man, time flies.

I decided to continue enjoying the nice weather and had a lovely two hour walk home and grabbed some kimchi dumplings from the market for my dinner. It's beginning to feel like spring. Now it feels like my dad's going to touch down in Seoul in no time at all.

After my dinner I watched the Season 6 Finale of SOA because on that long walk I decided to challenge myself and wrap up the series a la Fan Fiction. So I've made my lists, drafted up a couple new characters, made some question and will continue to thread everything together.

Today was a great day and is leading into what's looking like a whirlwind of fun for the next week and a bit.

Farewell, Young Shik. You were hilarious.

Friday concluded the end of the school year.

With that came the traditional end of semester buffet dinner for the entire staff and a special goodbye to those retiring and transferring to different schools.

There was only one person retiring, Young Shik, and some teachers I didn't know were transferring. Young Shik was the guest of honour. After teaching for 43 years he's earned it. At every social event he was always one of the last people to leave. Tonight was no different, in fact I think he went balls deep with everything. I didn't stay long enough to see.

The ceremony was much livelier then the past two retirement ceremonies. The principal and Young Shik were really close and the principle took a famous Korean song and plugged in Young Shik's name and, I assume, teaching related things. Everyone, including me got up and sang the song for him as he danced up at the front with the secretary who was laughing to the point her eyes were watering. He was quite the dancer too.

THEN, out of the blue, one of his old co-workers came into the banquet hall dressed in traditional Korean garb. My co-teacher explained that she is a professional woodwind instrumentalist and wanted to play a song for Young Shik. In the beginning I was about to ask if the instrument was broken but eventually it warmed up and produced a sound that was borderline tolerable. Still, it was a very authentic experience. Before we ate food we sand the song one more time and I almost sang the whole thing.

Food was eaten. 6 or 7 plates worth of food, not just deep-fried junk and soooo much salmon sashimi you wouldn't even believe me if I told you. It tasted just like smoked salmon. In the end of it all I felt full but secretly saved room from all the delicious Noraebang (direct translation: Singing Room) snacks.

Slowly the teachers began to file out as the water bottles emptied and the remaining teachers rallied up a convoy to travel to the Noraebang we always frequent after the lovely Marina Buffet.

At the Noraebang we sang, danced and drank. Young Shik stole the show: dancing around like a sexy wisp of smoke, he was much more fluid and limber than I've ever been.  Probably from all that hiking, Hula-hooping, and binge drinking. A new rule was added to the Noraebang Experience: every time you scored 100 on a song you had to put a 10,000 won bill on the TV screen. I never found out what it was for, but I'd assume to cover the cost of all the beer we ordered. Somehow I managed to join the 100 club, I wasn't really excited about that. Whatever, that's the only time I neede to pull out my wallet. I still had a great time.

I took a  taxi home with a teacher who lives close to me and me talked about her students and how I wanted to be a homeroom teacher like her eventually. She understood the gist of it and paid for the cab, so now I owe her a coffee.

It was a really nice time. It's sad to think it will potentially be my last time in the Marina Buffet with all those lovely people who I'll do my best to remember. I'm happy I've had these experiences, memories, drinking traditions to carry with me for the rest of my life.                

A Korean Wedding

The Korean Wedding

Last Saturday I went to a Korean wedding. My friend's former co-teacher was tying the knot and myself and another mutual friend were invited to come. It was being held in the morning about an hour away from where I live in a conference center. I found out about a week before and told my co-teachers. They were excited and I asked them what to bring. They said money. That's easy. They asked what I'd bring to a wedding at home. I said home appliances... and then they just started listing all the housewares they knew in English. It was probably the most involved I've been in a conversation at lunch since my first day back from the hospital.

I really wanted to go to a wedding just to watch it unfold and hopefully see standard Korean groomsman etiquette but there were no groomsman or bridesmaids at this wedding. PS I'll be in a wedding on May 18 2014. So jacked! But yes, coming here to see a wedding was important to watch the process to avoid messing up the wedding I'm in. Stand still and don't talk, that's all I need to do from the looks of it.

When we got there we got in a line to pass on our wedding gift, a card and money. The people before us just handed over fistfuls of cash and the guy at the desk asked for their names, wrote it in the guest book, and stuffed the money into a standard envelope. There were middle-aged men standing against a wall and kids running around with action toys in their hands and ladies talking to laaaaadies. It felt the same as any other wedding except this time I wasn't some tag-along, I was personally invited. In typical Korean fashion there was no place to put your coat and I was stuck wearing a black overcoat over a navy blue suit. Being the only non-Koreans in sight we decided to stand and watch the wedding from afar. After the ceremony the photographers took over and had pictures with the bride's family, husband's family, extended family, and finally the friends. Since there were no other white people in the photo my friend and I decided to stay in the audience. The bride waved us up urgently I thought she would have popped a button on her dress. It was a really special experience to be in a wedding photo especially when you're 50% of the caucasian population.

I feel like this was different from other K-weddings I've heard about but maybe not:

- The groom sang a very loving song.
- Then the groom and MC did a goofy song and dance in front of the bride.
- They walk down the aisle and then kissed.
-  There was a row of seats that couldn't see the altar because of a pillar so they had mounted a screen off to the side filming the wedding. It was cool because you could see the bride and groom impatiently smiling at the minister. It really captured the excitement on their faces.

Some of the things I've heard from other Korean weddings that held true to my experience 

- Everyone can talk or walk around the entire process.
- From that first bullet you'd think it's a long service but they're usually half an hour or less.
- A smorgasbord of lights and effects.
- A friend is chosen by the bride and she's the one who gets the brides bouquet. There is no chaotic fight for it. I could imagine that being either very aggressive or an enormous debate while the flowers dirty themselves on the floor.

Food

Once the pictures were done, the bride, our friend's old co-teacher, asked us if we had our meal tickets. Obviously we didn't because we don't know any customs and the groom ended up getting them for us. I felt so guilty, it being his wedding day and all, but by the time we made it up stairs to the buffet seats were few and far between so we did some rearranging and got to sit with another set of foreigners. We gabbed about the bride and groom and how we've known them, then ate and ate and ate. Like most buffets in Korea there would delicious things, things I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole, pleasant surprises and unpleasant surprises. Korea has this urge to deep-fry things and when you don't know what the menu cards says, or its in Konglish there's a big risk-reward gap. The best personal discovery was Persimmon Punch which was basically liquid cinnamon. Yum. Full from salads, soups, meat, and an assortment of deep-fried studs, spuds, and duds I filled up just in time to see the bride and groom come in with their hanboks and wish them a happy healthy marriage.

(Insert Picture here)

*Also every Korean honeymoon is in Cancun and I always give the same advice my uncle gave me: "Dos cervesas por favor."      

Ullllltimmmate!!

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

In case you can't tell I'm really excited, a little scared, but excited ROK-U is beginning yet another season. I will be playing for one of the four Busan teams!! The season is comprised of 16 games, most of ours are in Busan. Hopefully a team blog will be passed on to me since the current writer is leaving the team I am joining. EXCITEMENT, possibly!! Hopefully I can cap my anticipated swan song in this Korean Pro-Am ultimate league with a bang of some kind.

This season the teams have been divided into three divisions, we call them kingdoms, (with seven teams a piece). Unlike the NFL, and a lot like Game of Thrones, we protect our kingdoms and play all the other teams outside the kingdom until the Civil War Weekend teams play two games within their kingdoms. I hope these are loud, well-fought, spirited games. On paper all these Busan teams look very good and I hope someone in the Bu can take the tiger this year, as always.

After having received my signs from above that playing to win with unneeded grit ends with with a broken collarbone I will be a support-player. I don't intend on calling on myself to make the big play, just catch everything that I knowingly can, and make the smart play, not the one waving and hollering down-field against the wind. My other goal is to keep my cool and not to leave any games upset or angry. It shouldn't be a problem there are lots of calm and collected people to reach for on this roster. Parts of me loves how the league tabulates stats for honoring milestones and determining awards. Although there should be some other way to record stuff, like a beginning to end report card! That sounds like waaaay too much work though.

All in all, I'm excited for the new season which will more than likely be my last here in Korea. We won't discount that I can return another day but for now I'm leaning towards leaving come August. I plan to make the best of this experience as a whole on and off the field surrounded by teammates of new and old, and all the other friendly ulti-enthusiasts of Korea. I happily look forward to all the drinking, ultimate, drinking games, drinking ultimate games, and all the craziness that comes with the league and it's members.

Travelling by Train and Bus

01/23/2014

I misread the train map. I thought I would need to change trains at Daajeon to get to Osong to go down the west coast. There was no need to transfer. Instead of making a train to Mokpo at 11:40 which was ten minutes after my train arrived got to Osong. So I got to stay in the Osong station on the outskirts of Cheongju. The station reminded me a lot of the Thunder Bay Airport. Lots of glass, lustrous grey beams and built in the middle of nowhere. The station wasn't like most stations; there wasn't a subway line or bus terminal nearby, just a line of four taxis at the main entrance.

I stayed inside had some mediocre Korean food from the only restaurant in the station. When I wasn't eating I was reading GoT and have started pondering how applying a war-lens will affect the work. This could be an essay worth, dare I say, drafting. I spent the 3 hours reading in the empty solarium until I realized I'd be on the train for dinner. So I went back up to the restaurant and bought a some kimchi "stew." On the way to Mokpo I saw giant insects made of hay in the middle of a dirt farm.

I made it to Mokpo without a hitch and took a taxi to the bus station where I simply hopped on a bus to Haenam. In the black of night I couldn't see anything super amazing like giant bugs but there was a light over head so I just kept reading and double checking I hadn't lost any pertinent forms for my guarantor. I made it to the bus station where I met my buddy. We went to eat with some of the other foreigners in this small town. I must say, it was some of the best barbecue I've ever had! The meat was great and on the outside of the grill were little canals filled with melted cheese and scrambled egg. This has flipped K-BBQ on its head for me. Thanks Haenam's BBQ place! I don't know what it's called but I know how to find it; the town is pint-sized.

After dinner my buddy signed the forms and the back of the my photos, then turned on some great episodes of The Trailer Park Boys and we chilled out til the late hours of the night drinking soju and OJ.

01/24/2014

I left Haenam with everything I needed and got to the bus terminal several minutes after the Mokpo bus had left. I needed to hang around for another hour. This scared the shit out of me. Doing the math I would have an hour and fifteen minutes to get from the Haenam station to the Mokpo Train station in order to get my train. The bus driver drove like Schumacher of the early 2000's and the cab driver drove like a cab driver. When I was in the cab looking for the nooks and crannies in the morning traffic and eyeing the clock sweat was just pouring down my forehead. The road around the station was gridlocked. I hopped out of the cab and walked to the nearest set of lights. Standing there for thirty second felt like thirty minutes, looking at my watch every second didn't help the feeling. I had less than ten minutes before the train was off. I didn't want to couldn't miss this train. I got into the station. four people in line: this is manageable. Once again seconds turn into minutes. I'm tapping my fought a mile a minute for every urge to yell and scream "Hurry up you waste of space." Surely enough I'm at the front of the line. I show her my happy pass.
"One to Yongsan Station"
"Yongsan Seoul?"
"Nae"
"Pirstuh class"
"Whatever, bali juseyo [hurry please]"
She inserts the happy pass into the standard machine just like every other transaction on this trip. The ticket prints off. She looks at it and puts it under the table. The attendant starts typing again. What?? 3 minutes.Another ticket prints off she hands it to me I grab it before she has time to circle the time, location, and car number. I bolt up the stairs to the platform and hop into the first car I see and walk all the way to my seat as the train begins to roll.

I found my seat and contemplated for the longest time about getting a beer. I ended up not getting one and just closed my eyes smiling. Something I thought would be impossible less than 48 hours ago has been completed. The train ride went off without a hitch yet again and then I took the subway 4 stops up to city hall and walked into the embassy.
"Hi, I'd like to submit my passport application."
"Do you have an appointment?"

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!!!???? I'VE BEEN HERE 2 OF THE PAST 4 DAYS INQUIRING ABOUT A PASSPORT RENEWAL AND YOU NEVER THOUGHT TO ASK ME WHY I HAVEN'T BOOKED AN APPOINTMENT ESPECIALLY SINCE I'M TRAVELING OUT OF THE COUNTRY IN 4 WEEKS.

 I guess a majority of things are impossible when you have service from some sort of slow-witted turd of a "concierge." I asked if I could book one today. Nope. What about Monday? Nope. Tuesday? I'll try. It managed to work out. Still I was incredibly upset. I was so angry I thought I was going to have an aneurysm, or jump through the glass and go Richard Harrow on everybody, but then I'd have to do even more paperwork -- and jail time. But I took the high road, I politely asked for a customer satisfaction form to illustrate the lack of service I had received and wiping all the nice things they did under the rug. Urge to kill fading, fading, gone. Still stewing in my own juices of rage I walked to the train home not looking forward to commuting 8 hours Tuesday for something that could have been entirely avoided if that  imbecile could put two and two together. I still don't feel better. Now, after my appointment, I'm nervously waiting for news to be delivered that my passport is on the way. I've called several times. Once the turd, mentioned above, disconnected my call, the next day I left a message sparking a painful game of phone-tag and because I don't have voice mail, it's super annoying.

Hopefully all works out. I want to see some beautiful isles, animals, and genuine people that aren't affiliated with any government body. Please cosmos let me have this. I've been a bucket of nerves these past three weeks, I could use a plane ride outta here.    

Down in Daegu + Review of Daegu Danim Backpackers

Down in Daegu

I went back down to Daegu after my stop at the embassy. Prior to this trip Daegu was just a run of the mill town with rain, DERP, and an adequate bar circuit. I planned on meeting someone later in the evening and had no idea how long it might last. My journal listed two hostels near the center of Daegu's subway system, Banwoldang. The first one I found was the Daegu Danim Backpackers. Since it was the middle of the week a wandering western boy was a sight for Suki and her co-workers' sore eyes. In the end I had a 6-person room all to myself.

The employees were really friendly and so were the other two guests in the other room. They invited me out for chicken spleen, a Daegu specialty, and I turned it down because of my other plans. But now I have a random trivia fact.

I had a nap and a shower before I went into the heart of the city to explore. First I went down into the maze-like underground mall above the subway system. The weirdest thing about this subway system was how there were over 20 exits but they'd be on the same side of the road just further down from the last one. I continued window shopping and wandered around the nearby department store. It wasn't as ritzy as the one in Gangnam but there were so many places to sit. I simply plopped down and continued my journey through Westeros while I waited for my fellow Canuck to get off of work.

Once I met up with her, we went to Dos Taco for dinner. It was good, but they wrap their tortilla around everything like its a bouquet. It was awkward to eat. We walked down to Thursday Party, I learned so things, walked her home, fell into a vortex leading to Awktropolis, then went back to DDB for a good night's sleep with a game plan for tomorrow.

Review: DDB 

I liked the open space and the general atmosphere of the place. It's off the main road but still really easy to find. If we only have 12 people going there for an Ultimate tourney I'd like to try and go there again. I can imagine the stairs might be a little difficult to climb after a few too many brewskis but the bed was better than the Kimchi Guesthouse. 

The staff was great and super helpful. They have a great stand of pamphlets for things in Daegu and Korea. One thing that looked really helpful is a book listing hostels in other major cities in Korea. Suki also gave me a number of a hostel in Gwangju that I never ended up using but she did have me set-up if I ever end up there. Suki and the other girl, whose name I didn't catch before she left to eat spleen, took really good care of the lounge area (much more Korean with floor pillows and low tables) and always seemed to be doing laundry. They made me welcome even when I strolled home at an unexpected hour. 

I don't think I have any complains apart from the water pressure in the shower but the water was still nice and hot. The bedding was crisp and clean too. I had a nice time there and the price was more than reasonable for the opportunity to shower, charge a phone, nap, have breakfast and midnight Singapore snacks.  

   

Homeward Bound... Early

01/21/2014

I have a confession.

Due to my negligence, indiscretions and impatience I have a damaged passport. This is as specific as I'll get: Shit just happens and it's not entirely my fault.

Anyways, I had read that there's a cool new E-Passport for us Canadians on the market that lasts ten years. This can potentially be the time clock for when I have to go back home and become an adult, because I'm not going through this ordeal ever again. I decided after visiting Sorae Village to stop off at the embassy which happened to be right by the Seoul Train Station. I walked up to the main desk and showed her my passport and asked if I needed a new one. Without batting an eye she said, "Yes" in that blunt as a shovel civil servant voice.

Now I need to fill out forms, find a fellow country (wo)men to be my guarantor and then return to Seoul ASAP. Thus, I'm going home on the first train to Busan and here I am.

This alters my route but the list of cities to visit remains the same (it didn't for long).

 Photos 01/22/2014

I went to E-Mart the night before to get my passport photos done. From the beginning I didn't feel I was doing the right thing. I got the right size at least and then I asked her to stamp the date and company info on the back. The photographer gave me those big popping eyes I had seen in Cafe O'Fete. Fuck. I rolled mine as she bee-lined it to the phone. Time to speak to the English Associate of E-Mart.

She was passable at best. My eyes got a serious workout. She didn't know what a stamp was either nor the action of stamping. WHAT WAS YOUR REWARD AS A STUDENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOL!!! Turns out there are no stamps for this kind of procedure. Wait, hold on, you're telling me the Wal-Mart of Korea doesn't have a certifiable passport photo process? The EA told me the photographer can just write the information down. Her writing took up the entire back of the photo. Why should I be surprised the nimrod told me to smile for my passport photo.

Once I returned to the embassy I presented the woman I talked to yesterday with the photos taken the night before. She took them to the backroom and claimed the photographer used an odd lighting making the photographs invalid. I hope people will happily accept straight-faced, wallet-size, autographed photos of your's truly for the next 10 birthdays/ Bar Mitzvahs on my calendar. Just kidding, I threw them out in a cyclone of rage. The woman behind the glass told me there was a studio across the road that'll know exactly what to do. They did, I walked out, but not before the man behind the lens gave me two of the sweetest tangerines I've ever eaten. The entire hour of good things made me feel so much better, I treated myself and bought A Clash of Kings to occupy myself on my way to Daegu for the night and the long road ahead to Haenam to my guarantor.  

Searching for Sorae Village

The guide book said to head straight out of exit 6 of the Express Bus Terminal Station. I walked straight out of the exit for ten minutes until I ran into this beautiful French paysage:

Walking back disappointed I saw a sign for Sorae Village. I needed to turn right out of the station. It was a sad "D'oh" kind of moment. As I was writing in Cafe O'Fete admiring some nice prints and drawings on their wall of art, I waited for my burnch: ordered at 10:22 was served at 10:40.

The coffee was bold and unfiltered. The salad dressing was Caesar mixed with balsamic and I didn't mind because I got my black olive fix. The Egg and Ham Sandwich wasn't held together very well spilling out with every bite. It was all very tasty but not worth $13. I stepped out of the cafe feeling satisfied and started to explore a little more.

At first glance it was clear the roads were narrower. Despite that the traffic was regulated unlike my school's area. I turned off the main road and started looking at the town houses. The area didn't feel very Korean, I don't know what France feels like so it could have been that, but I don't know. The homes where built with red brick up to and either three or four floors. The contours of most blocks were cement walls roughly seven feet high. I saw a couple French people along the other side of the main road or hand-talking with one hand and a phone in the other, but it was mostly Koreans in plain sight. I had this magical idea I'd meet a French baker with a quaint little shop in the middle of the place, then realized that the owner would sensibly hire Koreans to take Korean orders, I tried speaking French at Cafe O'Fete and the girl across the counter gawked at me with the biggest eyes I've seen on the peninsula. I tried at least and saw an area with a different vibe compared to the rest of my trip. 

There was a Paris Croissant which is a change from the usual Paris Baguette but then I saw the former in a train station later on my trip.  

An Evening in Gangnam

I walked out of the guesthouse at around quarter to six and found a beef soup place on route to the hub of everything in the area. The soup was scrumptious and for the first time I stated, "I have eaten well" in Korean after rehearsing several times before leaving my table.

I continued walking carefully over the snow and slush that was slowly turning into ice. I found the COEX center and walked in. There's a Kimchi Museum there but it was closed. Other than that it's just a huge conference center. Bust.

Spur of the moment I decided to cross over Bongeunsa. The temple area was completely deserted at night, all I could hear was the crunching of the snow under my feet. The experience was eerie but at the same time so beautiful with the snow. I plan on seeing more temples this way if the opportunity presents itself.

 

 

Next I hauled my snowy boots into the Hyundai Department Store for a browse. It was, to no surprise, exactly like every other department store in terms of layout. There were some differences; this store had GQ staples like Brooks Brothers, D&G, and Diesel as opposed to those bizarre Konglish ones at the one in Haeundae. Along with those name brands came the seven-digit price (sometimes eight) due to their universal appeal and quality patterns and design. Koreans are very fashionable and that comes as a blessing and a curse. Some Korean fashionistas are prone to embellish and add too much stuff to everything and pass it off as cool when really it an make you carsick. Example: shoes with leather cap and vamp with a Fair Isle patterned quarter? Bleeeeh.  

The department store was too expensive for my blood, thus, I didn't buy anything. I walked back a different way, map in hand, to see if I could see the Joseon Tombs. Once again closed since its 8:30 and very dark. The grounds did look very nice from the outside. I thought about checking it out the following day but I didn't want to pass up the idea of seeing old French people handle themselves in Korea.      

Review: The Kimchi Guesthouse in Gangnam

The entrance and building as a whole are really fancy-looking apart from the canvas hamper by the elevator. The lounge and eating area are modern with some metal patio tables thrown into the mix.

Sam was the only employee I saw during my stay that offered his services. He knew the area really well and speaks English with the best of them. He'll be the guy smiling when you walk in, he even takes you up to your room too.

I had no qualms with the size of my room, I found it cozy and the water in the shower heated up instantly. My mattress was lumpy and you could feel a couple of the springs. The desk area was fine. I had no idea how to work the cable box/ TV set, so I squashed the idea of falling asleep to late night Korean TV. Thanks to that though I've fallen back into my Wilbur Smith book.

In a pinch this was a really nice place and the breakfast was standard for a hostel. There were certain things I liked about it and other things I didn't. In the end, after a long day, a bed is a bed.

What you see walking in.

Open concept bathroom. Equipped with panda-themed TP holder.

View standing on the bed. 

How's the view out the window you ask? Like every view from a cheap hotel, motel, or loveshack in Korea it's 3 feet of space then cement.  

The Trek to the Kimchi Guesthouse

Let's start at the very Beginning

01/20/2014

I woke up at 7:30. I had a list of things to do before I high-tailed it to Seoul:
- Take out recycling/ garbage
- Do the dishes.
- Pay bills.
- Mend Winter coat.
- Pick up blister pads.
- Pack toiletries after using them
Nothing opened until 9 so I had a nice breakfast and ginger tea before I did the dishes. I brushed my teeth and packed it all into the side pocket of my gym bag. I put a pen in my pocket along with a small notebook because you never know when a good idea will strike. I dropped my recycling off and tossed my garbage bag into the dumpster. It rained the night before and I was banking I would see some snow in Seoul. I walked past my usual tailor who wasn't there, paid my bills at the bank and he still wasn't there when I circled back.  Thankfully there was one open a 5 minute walk away. I handed my coat off to a lovely lady, grabbed my blister pads for my new boots, picked up my coat and grabbed my gym bag at my apartment door. As my foot propped open the door I decided to go to the bathroom before I left. While taking my pants off I discovered a huge blue splotch on my leg. That's the first time a pen has ever exploded on me. I cleaned it up dismissing the hold-up as a random occurrence.

After a trip to Starbucks I picked my Happy Pass up at the ticket booth and grabbed the next train to Seoul. I caught up on some podcasts (Geeks and Beats and The Monday Morning Podcast - both great in their own way) and buried my nose in travel books, jotting down locations as I skimmed through while consulting my weathered map. Looking out the window, the lakes were starting to freeze over. In the end I decided I would be off to Gangnam a year and a half too late to do the dance. I found a guesthouse (see title) and plotted my route there, I perked up once I knew I had a place to stay. Coming in the sky was grey due to either the millions of cars or the clouds, it's tough to tell in a city pushing ten million. Sure enough, at the Grand Station in Seoul there were mounds of snow shoveled into neat little piles in the middle of the courtyard on route to the spiderweb subway system.

   
I got off at the wrong station. I was only off by one but I ducked into a cafe and mooched some Wi-Fi to figure out where I was going. By the time I got out the sky proved to be cloudy; it started to snow! Not these tiny little bits you would get in Busan but those big clunky flakes. They clung to my coat and didn't melt away. It felt like coming home. Now settled in my Guesthouse (it didn't take long) I was ready for dinner. I was feeling some soup and sides followed by some window shopping and stopping at the business building for a peek. At that moment I just wanted food to get rid of the gut rot brought on by my second coffee.