Black Pig

Galbi is my favorite food here. Its Korean BBQ back home. Cooked right in front of you, I have had it only 3 times so far, but tomorrow I am going again with Julia tomorrow ( she doesnt know this yet, but I'm trying to make it a traditional Sunday venture) and am really looking forward to sampling Black Pig again. It is a delicious pig that comes from Jeju, specially bred with a certain diet to be as delicious as possible. No idea what it actually is fed, but the meat is delicious. Particuarly the neck....

Traditional side dishes include different types of Kimchi, garlic, pickled onions, zucchinni, mushrooms, cabbage, other salty delicious things.

So good to be with someone who actually knows what there doing too...

Playing around with color switch, green is golden...

Walking about...

Most of the time, I have chosen to spend the majority of my free time wandering about, getting lost, exposing myself to my surroundings. Trying to get a bearing of landmarks, tourist frequenters, bike shops, etc. Since my own two feet seem to be my primary transportation at this point in time, still searching for the perfect bike. I have stumbled around and while I must say photo ops are frequent, I'll just post a few of my favorites I have gotten around my neighborhood in the past two weekend walking around.


The entrance to a great little park with free weights to use.... plus a nice springy running track through the trees....

This is quite a common site, rape flower I believe is what its called...


Resting point on my traveling adventures...
Coastline off the coast of gu-jeju (old Jeju) which was about an hour walk from my apartment, the beach was another 15 minute walk the opposite way.

House Warming Party

As I am learning several traditions in Korea I find myself appreciating the little everyday occurrences that make social interaction a bit more unique. For instance, there is a common head bow with greetings and good-byes. Placing of ones hand under your right arm when pouring a drink, which if its alcoholic is poured by someone else. Koreans share everything at the table. Food, drinks, laughs. There is a chain reaction a lot of times when someone holds up a glass and says 'Kombe' or cheers. If you have a cup in front of you, you will raise it.

So when I was asked when I was going to have my house warming party, another Korean tradition I have since learned about, I opted to host the following weekend.

My director Grace and her daughter, Julia, Joy, Rani and Pam from work came bearing gifts such as a plant decoration thing I have seen all over Korea, which apparently helps with humidity in the summer, TP, and laundry detergent. Very thoughtful and extremely useful items. Also, a friend I met in Jeju, Jaemin from Seoul came by and joined in the festivities.


Take out called fire chicken, which is delicious and not as hot as it seems....


Grace's daughter looking like she is a bit too sleepy....


And there she goes....



Pam and Joy...love this picture.....



Digital cameras make it so you can't leave until the perfect picture has been captured...

Julia in a rare picture where, look, she is actually smiling and half-way posing for a picture. The blurry or hand-in-front of face picture ratio I have is about 50:1...

Iho Beach Excursion

Living on an island certainly has its benefits. I have had a long day, today and am waiting for co-workers to show up for a house warming party, so I thought I would share some pictures of my walk to Iho Beach last Sunday.

Iho beach is the closest beach to my apartment and from what many foreigners have said, the worst beach in Jeju. It didn't seem bad at all, so I can only assume it just gets better and better from here.

The walk takes about 40 minutes from my apartment, crossing into a little coastal village before turning the corner at the beach. I found it quite enjoyable walking along the coastal street as I found many differences from the main city that I live. It is a bit more relaxes atmosphere and more traditional and yet older Korean housing. No high rise apartments anywhere near this beach.


The turn around the corner gave a me a great idea about exactly how to get down to the beach. Thank you English, your work in Korea has been very helpful so far. Most signs by the way , in the city and country are bi-lingual.


A Buddhist ceremony of sorts was taking place when I arrived. I am not completely sure what was happening, though they would occasionally break from the group to go throw back live fish into the sea. Ti, maybe you could fill me in....


The beach being the closest to my house, is adjacent to the airport. Being on the ocean, the airport makes it so I have to go around it to get to a relaxing sandy spot. There is just the occasional airplane landing....


More to come possibly tomorrow....

Be well ~






Serenity always seems to come in the form of a circle. The only thing that exists that is absolutely, in 100% of the word, perfect...

The Begininings...

After much wait, I finally post again. This is due to mainly three factors.

One is that I hate, absolutely hate being unsettled. That said it has taken a bit of time getting comfortable in this space that is my apartment. Finally I do think I have most of what I need now to survive and thrive here.

Two is that I have been sick since I first arrived. Mostly all better now, lots of sleep has been good to me.

Third is that I have been having a lot of fun doing other things. Working takes a lot of energy so I have to turn in all the time off to exponentially fun adventures.

Okay lets see, first a bit about work.
My schedule is a bit different...I work 11-6 err...about 5:30 for teaching with a hour break for lunch. Not to strenuous right? Though I go for about 4 and a half of the hours with not really any sort of break. I have began to end my sessions lightly so I can review and ask for questions instead of working right up until the end.

One of the typical looking classrooms......

The school is beautiful. Brand new facility with many materials, books and shelves for storage. We use a primary curriculum, Harcourt and I am teaching it to pre-k, kinders, 1st and 2nd level so far. Some of my 8 classes per day are better than others, but generally far superior to American schools. One of this is that my biggest class is 9 students. My smallest is 3. Needless to say the 3 student class is my favorite.

Outside of the school.....

I walk to work from my apartment, up a hill which takes about 25 minutes. I eat lunch at the school for free which is great because it allows me to sample a lot of traditional Korean foods first before buying them. All of which have been excellent! In fact, the first crappy food experience came last night eating seafood spaghetti and a pork cutlet at this brewery serving traditional American and German food. Yeah stay away from the American food is my new motto. Korean food has been some of the best samplings I have had in my life.

First floor, main hallway of the school....

Okay, now a bit about non-work. This weekend has been really fun thus far. Being Sunday morning, I will most likely spend today wandering around/going to the beach if the weather turns out to be as promised.

Friday night, 3 teachers (Julia, Joy and Rani) and I went out for Korean BBQ (Galbi). The pictures don't speak anything in comparison to how good it actually does taste. Meat (we had pork) is grilled right in front of you, and a plethora of side dishes comes out to accompany the meal. Soju (Korean alcohol, about 20%) is almost a default sidedish here. It is rather dangerous being so good and so cheap. But when the meat is done you wrap it in lettuce leaves with a bit of roasted garlic and this red pepper paste/chili paste and dip it in a seasame sauce. Quite delicious I must say. I could hardly contain my excitment.....

I know Anothony Bourdain is jealous right now.....

Joy in aparantely a rare, Soju drinking moment....

From top left: Joy, Rani and Julia finished and extremely satisfied with out meal...

Julia trying to not be in focus....

We then all went out for ice cream followed by Karaoke, which you get your own private room for. It is actually pretty fun because it rates your ability at the end, similar to rock band or something. American classics and of course some Korean KPOP. It was really fun watching other people do it and suprisingly I had the best score at the end of the night. Also, suprisingly it was 2Pac. I have no other way to explain myself on this one.

Joy and Rani jamming out....

Then saturday, Julia and I met up and went shopping to this underground shopping center in gu-Jeju (Old Jeju). Taxis take us everywhere by the way. They are SO cheap. Flagging them down cost 1800 won, and it maybe will be 4 or 5 thousand by the time we travel 15 to 20 minutes to the old city. Dont really know why people drive here actually...

The shopping was great. I found out I am actually about the biggest size most stores around here will carry, 105. My shoulders are just not Korean standards what so ever so finding something thats cuts exact is a bit difficult, but not impossible. I did find one of the best deals ever though, which I pounced on. A beige, heavier cotton jacket is a zup in cotton vest on sale for 25,000. It would easily be a 120 dollar jacket back home. Jackets here by the way are SO much cooler than in America.

After exploring all the clothes shop, we strolled through the orange/tangerine vendors (which are extremelly plentiful and common here. In fact, there is one next door to my building and another about 2 minutes away. Granted these are brick and mortar actual stores. I was kinda shocked. After the orange market, we went onto the fish market. I would be too scared to cook my own fish and eat it and seafood is certainly not a specialty. I wish I had pictures of these places, but I forgot my camera. Julia got some, so I will have to wait until she send them to me I suppose.

We them went shopping at E-mart (like walmart I suppose, but not un-popular or low class) for a few household items. Dropped them off at our respected apartments and went to this place called Modern Times, which is a pretty decent brew house. The food was not that good for the prices so I dont think I will eat there again. But they certainlly had the best beer I have drank thus far. I had a pale ale as there was no IPA on tap.... :(

Ending the night at a close proximety bar called La Vie, which is deffinetly a foriegner hang out. More foriegners than Koreas by far. I met a girl actually who went to school in Eugene at UO, not at the same time, but it was a very crazy coincidence.

Walked back home afterwards, which is just about 4 or 5 more blocks. Oh an Julia and I may be heading up towards Seoul/Chonean. March 21st I believe is the departing date. If you happend to be reading this shane-o. Your phone seemed to be dead last night when I tried to call.

Off to get ready for the day! Weather is beginning to look really nice. Sice I have yet to figure out how to get the weather update here, besides the 10 o clock pm English news, I watch people out of my window and take an average account for the clothing warmth. Right now at 9:00 in the morning, its a light jacket....

Be well ~

I'm Here!!!!

Well I've arrived in Jeju, South Korea! I have to make this short as I am at a break in work, but I have internet at my hotel (which I am staying at for another night while my apartment gets ready). The school is beautiful, brand new with great materials. All the teachers are super kind and the kids are well behaved and cute as can be.

Much to tell, but little time to do it. Korean food is great, dumplings, ddapooki, kimchee. YUM!

Pictures, as you all want will come soon. When I get my apartment I will hopefully have internet and can do stuff from my laptop.

My throat is kinda dry, lack of consistent sleep. All the local oranges and tangerines are helping. Send some Emergenc-E!! Forgot to bring lots of it.... Addresss to come soon.

Miss you all!

15 Things I will miss most about Oregon

Seeing the end in sight as I jet out in 3 days , I am experiencing feelings that I best get my good fill of normalizations while I still can. Having grown up exclusively here in this state, I feel I know if fairly well. Also, having traveled around this country and others, I understand that this state offers a lot that can't be offered elsewhere.

1. Family: It goes without saying that leaving my family behind will be the toughest part of my journey. Continual support and love of this venture makes it easier, but this will certainly be the longest I am seperated from everyone. I will miss the daily interactions I have with my folks, routine visits to my brothers and holidays spent with relatives. Leaving these behind is neccesary, but I know it won't be easy, especially during such holidays where so much tradition has been instilled in me. This is the main purpose of this blog and I hope to keep it open and accessible to those who choose to take an interest in what life is like for me overseas. Surely is year is not too long, is it?

2. Friends: The hardest part of leaving is knowing that I will have to re invent myself for new people I hope to befriend. Its great having a backbone of support from my peers. I'm glad the internet exists in this day and age as I think it makes the ability to leave the country for such a long time a lot easier knowing there is video chatting and social community outputs I can keep in touch with. Its going to be fun to see how much everyone changes in this year....

3. My Grandpa's Weekly Letter: It has been happening for roughly 40 years. Each week my Grandpa calls up family members to get a jist of whats happening in the day to day lives of everyone. It makes family reunions not as exciting as all the news is already known, but I have always found it extremely unique and amazing that he continues this tradition each week. Going strong at 91!

4. My Home: The comforts of home are pretty wonderful. Not only do I have familiarity that I am able to navigate each inch in total darkness, but I am going to miss all that is associated with living my folks. They have made some wonderful improvements in the last couple of years that only make this place that much more of an appealing center for comfortable living.

5. My Car: Knowing that I might not come back to this one again, I have gained a sentimental attachment to this black beauty that is the gondolla. My 04 Forester is the perfect vehicle for me. I honesty don't know what I would prefer over this (okay maybe a Range Rover), but realistically I have driven many cars, new and used and I wouldn't even trade this one in for one of the new 09's. Test driving them didn't give me the same satisfaction that this one does. Hope you're still around when I come back...

6. My Bicycle: This two wheeled Jamis Aurora is the possession that I might miss more than anything. I have battled back and forth on taking it with me. I just can't get over the tariff costs though ($300! one way). I am on this for usually hour and a half or two most days on this steel frame love of mine. It is more than just a bicycle to me, it is my spiritual and meditative retreat.

7. My iMac: I just can't get enough of this 24" power house. It surpasses my expectations so much, I am honestly going to miss it. I am spoiled to have it I know. I use the computer for so much these days, it really was worth every penny. Take good care of it mom.

8. Netflix: Being an avid movie watcher, you simply can't beat the ease and convenience of this service. If you are still living in 2001, you don't know what you have been missing. I especially have liked it more so now that they have so many 'Play Now' movies on the list. I almost always will fall asleep to something I have a little interest in devoting time too.

9. Coffee: Sweeter than 1000 kisses, Beethoven once said. Grants Pass being one of the heaviest coffee stands per capita (home of Dutch Bros.), this delicious treat is an ambition to sleep at night, as its what I look forward to the most in the mornings. I'm just glad my dad has the same obsession and usually has a fresh pot awaiting my assent to the kitchen.

10. The Mountains: Not just the close proximity of the mountains that skiing/boarding is available to do each weekend, but the views from my bedroom window even trickle up the tree laced ridge as Grants Pass sits beautifully in a lush evergreen valley.

11. Beer: Oregon being the mecca for IPA and other such delights. I taken it for granted of the plethora of selection I can get at the corner store, but its a taste as delightful and complex with each new sip I forever will seek.

12. Lawns/Grass: Take this for what you will, but I like green. Everything to do with the color. It warms my soul and I am not sure how I will react to dirt/sand soccer fields accompanying most of the elementary schools in S.K.

13. My Free Time: There has been quite a lot of it in my months leading up to Korea. Some days are more productive than others, but I like waking up with my only mission being a tall cup of coffee and 4 chapters in my latest novel.

14. The Oregon Coast: Unique enough to have its own magazine, its unlike any ecosystem on earth. Though unique doesn't necessarily mean warm, per say.

15. Being Anonymous: I have a bit of a feeling I will be sticking out somewhat in the land of the morning calm. Not knowing what it will be liked to be stared at constantly is an uneasy feeling, though I think I can ignore most instances.