Halloween in Korea

Last weekend, all the foreigners flooded Hongdae and Itaewon as usual, but this time, we were all in our Halloween costumes. Many of the natives stopped and stared--I even got my picture taken by some. If we were a bit more self-conscious, we would have felt strange on the subway in our bright wigs as everyone openly stared. But luckily, we just thought it was all pretty amusing. On Saturday afternoon, Kirsten, Liz, Dean, Andrea, Erica, and I took a bus out into the mountains (north of Seoul) to go to a pig roast. Some of Kirsten's co-workers had suggested it so we all went in a big group. We were there from 3 pm-8 pm, eating tons of delicious pork, having some beers, enjoying the bonfire, and just talking. We took the bus back to the subway station at 8 and ended up in Itaewon, then Hongdae. (Itaewon is the notorious foreigners district where almost everything is in English. On the weekends, it has some ignorant drunks and a lot of guys from the US army. Hongdae is Seoul's art university, and a really intense mix of bars, restaurants, dance clubs, and artsy boutiques draws an enormous crowd every weekend.) We had a great night, meeting up with Aerim, Chungsoo (part of TLBU's ISI staff, met him at the summer camp), Kevin (my boss from TLBU), Junior (friend from TLBU), and a lot of my SMOE friends.

Yesterday, I had to go do a dinner at this formal Korean fusion restaurant. I'd been there before about a month ago before Grace, one of my co-teachers, went to Canada for a training session, and just assumed it would be the same teachers. BUT it was big---there were maybe fifteen teachers there, including the principal and the vice principal, who sat across from me. The seats were on the floor and women in traditional Hanboks served us in our private room. It was beautiful but I couldn't help feeling out of the loop. Yunhee sat on one side of me and translated a lot for me. The principal is an elderly man who has been really great--he keeps asking (through Yunhee) if there is anything else I need for my apartment, my classroom, and how I'm adjusting. My vice principal is a very formal woman--the kind that wears a big emerald cocktail ring and pearls everyday. She's forever in tweed dress suits and heels, as well. But she speaks English fairly well (and so elegantly! This breed of woman--slightly cold, intelligent, old-fashioned, and conservative--is such a dying breed. She's probably in her 60s) and has also come to me to make sure that I have everything I need. Since so many foreign English teachers have complained of their schools being unsupportive or rude, I feel so grateful for the people at Munsung Middle School.

Since today is Halloween, some of us (that are relatively the same size as we were when we were high/middle school students) decided to borrow uniforms and dress up as our students. My co-teachers were so excited about the idea that they took me to the extra students' wardrobe and helped me pick a uniform a few days ago. So I walked to school this morning feeling INCREDIBLY awkward. Students were flat out staring as were adults. It was probably because students in Korea are not allowed to have dyed hair (many still do, but not as light as mine) or wear makeup to class. When I came to school, the teachers thought it was hysterical and the students FLIPPED out. They crowded around my desk continually, laughing and going, "Cutie cutie! So cute! Teacher is student!" Kids were doing double takes in the hallway all day, especially those that I don't have class with.

Me with my JA, taken after our extra class. (you can click on the pictures to see a bigger size.


Dean pulling the cork


Aerim, me (in a wig), and Chungsoo


Jason, Dean, and Colin at our pig roast.


For my pictures, as always, check out my flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/caligalux/collections/72157600864748555/

Here is a 26 second video of my kids with the blindfold. Oh, Jisu--you're the best.


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