seoul

downtown uijeongbu

This big shop center of Uijeongbu. Many shoppings in Uijeongbu. We take cab vere cheap for two person, just 4000 KRW , go many kilometers. Lewis buy french press at Home Plus for his Happy Moshu Palace.

Home Plus like five-story tall Wal-Mart with more things. We dream more better.

chopsticks

agency

When your spirit writhes in angst and you lack the will to live...

education2

Twice a week the kids get to watch Mr. Rose forget song motions on the school's CC TV. Is this appropriate for children? We report, you decide.

Notably neglected was a proper address of the racial inappropriateness of this particular song.

I edited this way down because the whole thing is really long and horribly boring (ten minutes). That's my trusty and adorable co-teacher Ji-Hyun speaking Korean. Note her growing but tempered annoyance at my bungling. I've made her life exactly fourteen times more difficult.

education

Lest anyone question that there is actual education happening here, behold. My kids are learning some pretty serious stuff. Please note the subtly unfolded story arc.




Naturally, this opens the field to much profound discourse. In what way does the existential release of the robot affect Mr. Rose's later (and greater) confrontation of the monkeys? The weaknesses in the plot (e.g. could the sleepless and played out Mr. Rose really chase down a presumably well-rested crazy monkey?) simply direct attention more fully to the overarching metaphysical concerns being presented.

Unfortunately, the crazy monkeys had to be edited out of the final cut. But believe me, that's how it really happened.

mnemonics

http://www.lewisknundrum.com/move.mp3

bacon

it was good.

coffee

This is a bit old, but why not post it? (not much happens here)

...the inaugural voyage of our dear Duplex coffee maker. This is before we got the adaptor to use the grinder, so we had to choke down some narsty SBC French roast. We have since obtained an adaptor, and are being spoiled silly by some of Chicago's finest. Thanks Kristin.

underground mall, etc.

At Lewis' apartment, in the midst of creativity.



At the underground mall coffee shop, DaVinci's.




We learned several Korean words here.

fan mail

after church

breakdown of the ecclesiastical festivities (not actually that interesting)

after church

Brief commentary on the world's largest church located in Seoul. CLARIFICATION: The service itself was not HUGE (a several thousand people, give or take), but they have tons of affiliate churches that are included in membership. Plus, the main campus alone has seven services on Sunday.

before church

http://www.davidcho.com/NewEng/Default.asp

AOG Church, largest in the world I believe. The proper name is Yoido Full Gospel Church.

School

School

This is my podium of wisdom, from which I shape the pliable young minds.

more uploads

dis is da place. The big city-looking area in the distance is the shopping district in Uijeonbu, and the small shoppy-looking part is the main street of our neighborhood.

Transit

Uijeongbu

Here are some pics of my nifty new dwelling. On Friday I arrived Incheon International Airport (one of two or three international airports near Seoul) and made it through customs without a hitch. I met up with the other English teachers, and some people from Global Campus (the 3rd part placement agency) helped transport us to Uijeongbu. The Global Campus workers were pleasant, but a little frazzled. They said they had been working for 20 hours straight bringing in new teachers. It took about forty-five minutes by car to make the trip. Providentially, Lewis and my respective schools are within walking distance. Our apartments are less than a block apart.

Our co-teachers met us there. Not only do the co-teachers share teaching duties, but they are also responsible to help us with just about anything we need. My co-teacher Ji-Hyun arrived first, literally running up to the parking lot to meet us all out of breath. If the two guys from Global Campus were frazzled, our co-teachers looked ready for a nervous breakdown. Ji-Hyun was extremely worried that I wouldn't be happy with the housing arrangements, and I tried extravagantly to explain how my expectations had already been surpassed. But this type of concern seems typical of Koreans, at least in their dealings with us.

On Saturday, Lewis and I set out an The Great Korean Transit Adventure. Lewis' luggage didn't made it in on his plane, so we decided that was as good an opportunity as any to test our our navigational chops. Our kind guru at the PC-club (I don't know his name - he's the owner of the nearby internet cafe) gave us a map of the subway. Through dumb luck, some kind Koreans along the way, and mostly the grace of God we made it. The Korean equivalent of CTA is exactly 10 times nicer. It's faster, smoother, cleaner, and some trains even have heated seats. The airport was shinier than O'Hare. These people here have really got their collective acts together.