I Hope This Qualifies as Something Unusual (Elephant Trip #1)

Carolina, Tracy, Ryan, and Jason.

Per longstanding request, here's Ryan standing in front of some markedly queer wallpaper. And though I've been bitching and moaning about Korea, kids, and stress recently, this trip to Jin-do, an island at the extreme southwest of Korea, was an unqualified success -- perhaps, indeed, because of some radiant property of the walls in our motel room.

As it turns out, there's not much else to do in Jin-do than stand in front of mind-expanding wallpaper. Not much, that is, but keep on the lookout for Jin-do's claim to fame: Korean Natural Asset #53, the Jin-do gae (dog). This dog, according to my guidebook, is believed by some to be "descended virtually unchanged from the Neolithic Age." They may or may not be descended from Mongolian battle dogs(!), and are said to possess many outstanding traits. They are beloved for the spectacular intelligence, uncanny "The Cat Came Back"- style homing abilities, unfailing loyalty, and tendency to potty train themselves. Unfortunately, being a Korean Natural Asset, the Korean government is pretty tightfisted with these guys, especially the purebreds. So don't expect me to come back with one. Here's a picture, anyway:



They're also astoundingly nonchalant, if this street dog is any indication. And yes, there were quite a few just hangin' on the streets. In that sense, Jin-do lived up to expectations (as the island where these crazy super-dogs are allowed to walk freely around town).

We also ate some good handmade mandu (Chinese dumplings), danced in the street to MC Mong's "Ice Cream", and saw this guy:



So, eight thumbs up on the quiet town of Jin-do, on the quiet island of Jin-do. Tracy was especially taken by the slow pace, small town vibe, and peace and quiet. She didn't really want to leave.

[This trip was elephant trip #1, in which a representative from our handpicked group of expats tosses a tiny plastic elephant at a map of Korea and we commit to travelling wherever it lands. Elephant trip #2 will take place late winter early spring 2007.]

MC Mong: Ice Cream

Well, once again, it's the pop music that gets me. After sifting through several lists of horrible boy bands composed by excited 13 year old Korean kids, I took the plunge and bought a few records. One was by this guy, MC Mong. And now I finally have a Korean song stuck in my head.

The video is especially great. It's bookended by two distinctly Korean pastimes. The first is the PC Bang (PC room). These are just internet cafes, really, except the they're open 24 hours a day, and they're everywhere. There seems to be a culture of un- or under-employed younger males (much like the protagonist) that spend their nights in the PC Bang playing Starcraft, smoking, neglecting to feed themselves, and not getting home til dawn.

It closes with the heartbroken MC Mong drinking bottle after bottle of soju. This is Korea's indigenous hard liquor, made of rice and sweet potatoes. It's ubiquitious, dirt cheap and notorious for its brutal hangovers. There's a complex set of drinking rules that come into play when drinking in groups (scroll down to "Customs"). I've experienced this only once, really, when I went out with the boss and the other Korean teachers. All I can say is that the protocol seems pretty clear until you're knee-deep in drunken Korean elders.

Exercise Mountain

Hope you like mountains. That's what I've taken the most pictures of, to be sure. Featured in this post is the mountain behind my house, Seokkap San; aka Tiny Mountain; aka Exercise Mountain.

It's an odd little thing. It doesn't take much time to walk up, and a good part of it is paved. On each side of the trail you'll find a small farm plots rubbing up against tombstones and burial mounds. The mounds, at least, are hundreds of years old. Here's a little explanation: and here's what you might stumble onto if wander off the path a few feet:
So. After fifteen or twenty minutes of dodging modest spring onion plots and ancient burial mounds, one is rewarded with...periwinkle exercise equipment! And it's usually pretty jammin' with well-appointed Koreans: kids, moms, and men of a certain age and station (early retirees?; men of leisure?). I took this picture on an off day, I guess. This kind of installation is pretty typical of the hills and mountains around here, I think -- even on the big ones. A few of the expats have lamented the fact that they can't seen to truly lose themselves in the mountains around here. There may be a vending machine around the next bend in the trail.

And if Seokkap San is any indication, their disappointment is justified. Just around the corner from the exercise bikes, up a small rise and too the left, there's a food cart not unlike what one might find on any street corner, selling vitamin drinks, soup, and pressed-fish-on-sticks for any Korean soccer mom that has worked up an appetite on the beautiful blue leg press machine.

Caesar's Palace

I guess I'll just start with the view from my window. I live in West Jinju Si (city), in a building called Caesar's Palace. It's a nice, new building, and you're looking at the edge of the good part of town. Just out of town is the resevoir, Water Museum, modest zoo, and bungee jump. I haven't been to the mountains you see in the distance quite yet. But I've been to the one behind my building (next post; it's pretty great).

Jinju is a nice town. It's easy to get around in, and most of the people seem to've figured out how to work hard while taking it easy at the same time. In fact, the only people who seem to be truly stressed out are the Korean English teachers who, at my school, work from about 2 or 3 pm to 1 am six nights a week. [Don't worry Mom, that ain't my schedule.]

At times it seems as if the place is being invaded by English language academies (or hogwans). It sometimes seems, as well, as if there are more kids (shouting "Hi" or "how are you, I am fine") than adults. We foreign teachers are minor local celebrities, curiosities, pests and buffoons all rolled into one.

Nice to Meet You

Hello. Nice to meet you. How are you? I am fine.