Taylor in Korea

India Journal

2011-06-23T10:01:00.000+09:00

A trip to India during May 15th to June 6th 2011 by Taylor Sloan

May 18, 2011:
Spending my first day of my trip (May 15th) in Delhi I found that it was reasonably odd and abnormal than what I’m used to. However, as the days progressed I became less and less certain of taming this new country in my mind. I believe it was the first night reservation and the airport pickup that made the culture shock more gradual than immediate. Although I felt I had training with this sort of odd feeling in Thailand the oddity I felt in India was much more intense. Being out of my comfort zone was an understatement. In Delhi the massive amount of poverty, beggars, salesmen, lies, and scams were staggering.

I had seen plenty of beggars, but on my second day in Delhi I found, or rather she found me, a small girl holding an even smaller child in her arms draped on her shoulder asking for money. At first it seemed like the epitome of begging and poverty, which in some instances it is, but just as in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ this child was given a baby and told which streets to beg on by an older woman.

On the same day I saw such things as one of the many wild dogs easting a chicken carcass on the sidewalk, people with legs and arms off using crutches, skateboards, and hand powered bikes to get along, cows roaming the streets eating garbage, and plenty of sketchy salesmen wanting to get inside my pockets.

However, around these same areas I found brilliant colors from women’s dresses, talkative people, and absolutely delicious food. No repercussions from eating the food yet. I assume the ‘Delhi belly’ is coming.

One of the main problems in India seems to be the massive piles of trash that may eventually rival the great pyramids someday. If you can’t stand dirty floors, trash everywhere, pollution, and the smell of fecal matter and decay wafting through the air in thick waves then I would advise you not to visit many areas in India. However, if you’d like to overcome a compulsive cleanliness disorder than this is the place.

The way you get rid of trash in most of India is to either burn it or sweep it closer to someone else. It seemed like a child’s game to me. Out out sight out of mind I suppose.

At times I accidentally step in fecal matter. It’s practically unavoidable here. It can envelope the side of a street as if it were the concrete itself.

May 20, 2011:
In short I don’t have good things to say about India today. This is the second time culture shock has hit. I’m in Agra now, visiting the legendary Taj Mahal, and the streets are still lined with piss and shit. Curiously there is an apparent solid layer of unknown combination that slowly cascades above the liquid waste in the drainage ditches along every street.

As an obviously white foreigner I get hassled everywhere I go. From auto rickshaws to shop owners to kids to ticket officials to almost every person I pass. It’s finally gotten to me, and now I’m staying in my hotel room to avoid people trying to sell me something for a brief moment.

What's worse is the amount of lies I hear daily. I hear about thirty lies on the average day. I usually need to ask about four or five people the same question before I can get a reasonable answer. You also would not want to ask ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions because the answer will always be ‘yes’ even if they know it’s ‘no’. Always phrase a question that requires a sentence answer otherwise you’ll find that the answer can be more than fifty percent wrong on average.

Thankfully I have moments like yesterday morning at dawn when I saw monkeys jumping from rooftops (sometimes in thirty monkey packs), parrots overhead, the Taj Mahal in the near distance, and a beautiful sunrise with a glass of chai (milk tea) in my hand. Sadly, when these moments pass I’m reminded that I need to go back into the land of bargaining, hassles, scams, and lies in Agra. I’m easily reminded by the horns of the motors getting ever louder and constant as it reaches 7:30am.

I can feel weak, upset, fed up, and teary at times here. I had even contemplated leaving India early to avoid such annoyances and see the ones I love again sooner. I’m currently at odds with myself, but I feel as though I need to keep pushing forward and grow as a person in the process. I can’t let this country get the better of me.

Getting a train ticket out of Agra has proven to be much harder than getting in. On the train ride here we (two new friends I met in Delhi and I) were very popular. The train seemed packed but wasn’t. Many Indians gathered in the seat next to us to chat, trick us in learning poor Hindi, or have a picture taken with us. My new friend Matt had shown some money from Cambodia which made a mad dash for others to trade rupees for it. Foreign change is sought after by many here. He eventually ran out of South East Asia money and disappointment was in everyone’s eyes. I had traded a few Korean coins while I was at it although they really wanted American coins.

Getting this train ticket to Agra was fairly easy in Delhi. They had a tourist section by the train station near the New Delhi subway exit. Many people lied and said you need things before you can go inside that cost money. We shove them aside and make it to the room to order our tickets. Thank goodness trains here always reserve a few tickets for foreigners.

However, getting the train ticket out of Agra was immensely more difficult. We went into the station and got in the foreigner/elderly/handicapped line. We needed a ticket for the next day (May 21). The lined moved as if magnetized by the counter. The closer we got to the ticket booth the more Indian’s surrounded us and tried to cut in line. The rat race was on! I had a man behind me who was reminiscent of a mouse who had to constantly peek at every motion of the teller. He sniffled and curled his nose over my shoulder at each movement. When it was my turn to get a ticket I couldn’t reach the counter due to some people who never leave the line. I stretched my arm to hold the circle speaking hole and yelled for a ticket to Amritsar in Punjab. The ticket man said it was impossible and I asked why. No reasonable answer was given so after arguing with him we decided to go to the station manager She was even less helpful. They kept telling us to come back tomorrow with no help in sight. We eventually gave up and went to the dreaded Indian travel agent to book our tickets. Amritsar for me and Lucknow for my friends. The tickets he got us were quite overpriced.

May 21, 2011
Flies buzz all around me while waiting at Agra Cantt train station. I was immediately approached by salesmen, curious boys, and beggars yet again. I saw dogs scavenging for crumbs with mangy spotted fur partly due to shedding the winter coat and malnutrition. Indians raised their fists and threw hard items at them. There’s no shortage of brick chips here. At this time I feel more sympathy for the dogs than the beggars. Always had a soft spot for dogs.

The most common sequence for meeting a foreigner here seems to consist of this: ask the foreigner where they are from then saw everything you know about that place then tell them a story about your family then ask for money. I’ve started saying I’m from places like Estonia just to avoid some of these questions. Plus, I’m very tired of people thinking I’m “American rich” as well as hearing about Barack Obama and Osama Bin Laden. I’ve even had hand gestures of a gun shooting Bin Laden in the eye. Ah, memories.

Before my train arrived I met an Indian man whose first question was “Where are you from?”. Due to the annoyances that come with saying I’m American I said I was from Estonia. Luckily I’ve met a few from that region of the world so I have some background information. Little did I know that this man was Punjabi (the region where I’m headed), and he has lived most of his life in Canada. He was the first man who went out of his way to help me in India. Sadly, it took me about a half an hour to admit my lie. Afterward, he had agreed that it was a good thing to do while in India. People pull higher prices on him just because he doesn’t act Indian anymore. His name is Jessie and I really liked him. He was helpful, informative, nice, and above all honest. Sad that I finally found someone like this that doesn’t truly live in India. He was visiting family before going back to Montreal.

While on the train together we came across hermaphrodites, people who have both male and female genitalia, who asked for money. Culturally they go door to door and find houses with a new baby or marriage. They do a little dance then get some money. Something tells me that wouldn’t go so well in the deep south of America. I was not ready with my camera when they came so no pictures. They wore bright sorees, traditional Indian dress for women, and gaudy jewelry. Smiles appear on the faces of the people they pass.

I also saw a boy with dust covered hair on hands and knees cleaning a dirty floor with a dirtier rag. With minuscule energy he came to me and tapped my leg while holding out his hand. I motion the no money sign, but he persisted. I usually don’t give beggars money, but I felt very odd with him over two minutes so I gave him five rupees (about 10 cents) to continue on his path. Plenty of other beggars approached my while on the train including a man with deformed arms, a man with deformed legs on a skateboard with shes on his hands, a singing old woman, a man with no reason, a girl with incense and shrine, a woman that clearly points out the color of my skin, and a boy with a pan who seemingly can’t speak. I went to sleep on the train with my bags firmly attached to my arms for about three of the eight hour journey, so I could’ve easily seen more more beggars had I been awake.

May 24, 2011
India’s great now! I’ve been in the Punjab region for about two days now and it’s at the top of my list thus far. I first arrived in Amritsar which is the city that houses the Sikh’s golden temple. This is mecca for Sikhism. The Sikhs are essentially a warrior race easily noticed by the way they look. With searing eyes, giant turbans, knifes, swords, and spears at the ready. These are intimidating folks if you take them at face value, but they are really some of the nicest people I’ve met in India. The piercing glare turns into a smile in no time. Such colorful turbans and long beards on the males make for great photos.

At first I tried to stay at a hotel, but it seems that they guide every foreigner to a foreigner only room right next to the golden temple. It’s donation only accommodation hostel style with a large open space nearby our room for anyone to sleep in, 24/7 food commissary, and a pretty decent bathroom facility. All very welcome for what I’ve become accustomed to in India. These guys seem to have a lot of money. I absolutely loved staying here. The dining area was working on a massive scale feeding perhaps thousands a day. Once you walk in they hand you a plate, spoon, and a bowl. You’re then lead into a great dining hall with mats lined up on the floor. There must have been over two hundred people eating around me and the place wasn’t even a quarter of the way full. The look of amazement in my eyes attracted the smile and laugh of Indians near me. Men come by and full your plate with food inside buckets. The meal consisted of chapati, curry, a bean dish, and coconut rice (my personal favorite). It was quite good actually, but I found that the food doesn’t change from day to day.

After eating you’re then guided to the washing area of the complex where hundreds of people are cleaning dishes and piling up for the next round. Off to the side you can see part of the cooking process. Two older men with long poles mix batches of food in boiling pots the size of a kiddie pool.

Others next to them were rolling and cooking chapatti bread. After meeting some of them I tried my hand at rolling out some chapatti. I made about ten before it went from an amazing experience to dull and tedious. Needless to say I wasn’t nearly as fast at it as the Punjabis.

While staying near the golden temple for three days and two nights I had met some of the kindest people in India. On the second night I went to see the boarder closing ceremony between Pakistan and India, domestically called Hindustan, in a town called Atari (just like the old game system). There were massive crowds and military searches before we got to the bleachers. No water allowed so definitely drink your fill before coming in. The ceremony was all bravado and pomp.

Each side had peacock-esque hat s and even stepped similarly to a mating dance among a Himalayan bird species. The show started with loud speakers blaring famous songs from both countries. The Indian side had people dancing, jumping, and waving flags while the Pakistani side were calm and sedated in their seats. It was a stark contrast as if India was having a party and Pakistan wasn’t invited.

Afterward, the guards on both sides did harmoniously timed steps toward each gate trying to kick their legs as high as possible. It was rather peaceful considering the relations between the countries. The show concluded with lowering the flags and slamming the gates.

May 25, 2011
While at the Amritsar bus station waiting to go to Mcleod Ganj I saw messy stains on a bus coming from the window. It looked like vomit. Turned out it was. Apparently bags are used for vomit on buses which are tossed out of the window. I’ve heard stories from motorcyclists that they need to swerve to not get hit by these aptly named “vomit bombs” while traveling on the roads near buses. Needless to say my bus ride was an experience.

It certainly was beautiful though while approaching Dharmsala near Mcleod Ganj. I saw snow covered mountain peaks and quaint villages, but the best part was the fresh air. I hadn’t smelled air without the soiled scent of pollution and sewage for a while now. I began to breathe as though I was hyperventilating trying to get a massive lung full. I met fellow travelers on the short bus from Dharmsala to Mcleod Ganj who helped me find my way around. I later saw these folks along with some friend I’d recently met in Amritsar. What a small world.

May 26, 2011
I’m now in Mcleod Ganj where the Dalai Lama lives. It’s proving to be a mountain paradise. The first day here I met a girl from China and a man from Germany while looking for a nearby waterfall. He left to find a motorcycle to rent while she and I met a monk traveling to a meditation field. He invited us to follow him. After showing us the field he then invited us to his house nearby. Tanya, the girl from China, spoke Mandarin to him while I spoke English. He needed teaching for both so we offered to teach him out languages. We scheduled the next meeting in two days (May 28) at 2pm.

At his house we talk about anything and everything. His name is Gyaltsen Thupen and he traveled twenty eight days on foot from Tibet to India while going through Nepal. He scaled up the vast and unforgiving mountain terrain of the ‘world’s roof’ to get here. He also broke his shoes along the way. Luckily he brought spares. He had studied Mandarin in Tibetan schools that have been taken over by the Chinese government. They teach only Chinese history and no Tibetan history. They also don’t allow any picture of the Dalai Lama to be held by the native Tibetans. It brings great political controversy. Even though the Chinese government has engulfed Tibet and caused Tibetans to flee from their own lands he had no ill will towards Chinese people. He only thinks the government is bad.

After talking to him we headed to Dharamkot, our next hilltop destination. Along with the Tibetan monk we ate wood fired pizza, his favorite food, at a local shop. Eating pizza with a monk and a new friend...what a great first day. I don’t even feel like I’m in India anymore.

May 28, 2011
It’s been pleasantly relaxing here in Mcleod Ganj which is great because I’ve had a constant flux of half diarrhea since coming to India. What I eat doesn’t seem to change this. I have been practically vegetarian the whole time here with the very occasional chicken or mutton dish. Even simple things like pancakes and rice don’t change it, and I always drink purified water. Who knows? I’m just happy to have my own room and bathroom right now.

At 2pm Tanya and I went to meet the monk again to teach him our languages. When we arrived he wasn’t there, but his friend Songma (another Tibetan monk) was. She told us that he was out teaching and would be back in a couple of hours. He sometimes teaches her the craft of Buddhism, so he asked her to see if we would wait for him. We didn’t want to wait, but we did anyway. Songma had also been learning English on her own, so I took the opportunity to teach her pronunciation and grammar while we waited for Gyaltsen. She had words from ‘calm’ to ‘submarine’ written down that she wanted to know how to pronounce. As for many Asians the ‘r’, ‘th’ and ‘d’ were tricky as well as recognising syllables by the amount of vowels in a word. With much repetition she began to improve a lot. By this time it was 4pm and we needed to leave so we could check bus schedules and catch a show called the ‘Lion Man’.

On our way home we ran into Gyaltsen and said we couldn’t stay any longer. He gave me his address to send English letters if I can. I certainly plan to in the near future. He thanked us and we went about our way.

While at the Lion Man show he started by telling the story of how he came to India from Tibet. He fled the now China ruled Tibet when he was a boy with his brother and mother along with about thirty other Tibetans. They had to travel at night with no lights so the Chinese soldiers would not see them even though they used big spotlights. They had no doctors, medicine, or treatment, so everyone had to look out for themselves while scaling up and down the world’s highest plateau region. The snow was so bright that some lost vision during the journey. They had to get to the next Tibetan village for a few days to get treatment so they could continue on.

Before reaching Nepal Chinese soldiers came out from the forest and put the whole group in a prison with no food or clean water. They cooked what they had and some got very sick from the water. They soldiers asked many questions about their families which could endanger them too. The soldiers also wanted the Tibetans to pay money. If they could not give the asked amount then they would be returned to Tibet and put in another prison. A Tibetan government official eventually came to release the Tibetan prisoners by paying the soldiers off.

They were allowed to enter India and after a two day bus ride from India the reached Delhi. Afterward, they came up North to Mcleod Ganj and Dharmsala where the famous Tibetan holy man Dalai Lama resides. Most never see him in person, so when the Tibetan refugees were invited to see him they were speechless. Tears formed on many of their eyes and they felt happy. Some stayed in Mcleod Ganj and others dispersed to other Tibetan colonies in India. Tsering Dorjee, the Lion Man, stayed in Mcleod Ganj because he wanted to stay with his mother. The Tibetans couldn’t speak English or Hindi so they felt out of place. Some wanted to go to up to the nearby mountains just to feel at home.

Tsering went to school and eventually learned English. Now he does a dancing show to open the minds of people and to reveal everything about himself. You get really personal with this man during the second part of his show. Some say too personal.

May 29, 2011
Finished gift shopping for loved ones. The rain comes in again which causes me to stay inside. Saw a movie on my German neighbors laptop called ‘Alone in the Wilderness’. It’s about a man who ventures out into the Canadian wilderness to see if he can handle the things nature can dish out. He brought camera equipment and documented his whole experience. He’s incredibly ingenuitive and I highly recommend watching this older classic. We also watched a BBC documentary about the Himalaya mountains. Very interesting because we’re right next to them. Wishing I had brought a laptop about now.

For breakfast I ate Tibetan bread with peanut butter, a cheese and tomato sandwich, and banana toffee (fried bananas). Great meal. Cost under three dollars.

May 30, 2011
I woke up this morning, took some timelapse of a nearby mountain, met an Israeli man, and had a wonderful breakfast. I later went on a trek with my two new friends from Germany and China which turned out to be thirteen kilometers long and took about six hours to complete. About one hour into the trek I’m reminded how easily I burn in the sun. My pasty skin can still be compared to a brand new piece of paper. Proper sunscreen action was taken, but the burns still came.

Five kilometers into the trek is when we reached the pinnacle of views for the snow topped mountains nearby. However, the view was completely blocked by clouds. We then found a path that led to a stream near terraced cliffs. Curiously, cows manage to trek up and down these steep rock laced paths meticulously. Never pinned cows as the hiking type of creature. Regardless, the poop everywhere proved their frequency. We had to get out of their way most of the time, and for others they kindly moved out of ours.

It’s about this time my camera battery dies so no more picture related links for the day. Must have been the morning timelapse that drained it since I keep it on video mode so the mirror locks and doesn’t have excess wear and tear.

Once we got to the water we partook of overpriced mule lugged goods and sat next to the rushing stream. A water fight broke out amongst us and afterward we we chillingly refreshed.

The long walk back definitely tested my joints. I hope they will be fine tomorrow because we’ll be climbing a much higher mountain bright and early.

May 31, 2011
Sascha (the German), Tanya (the Chinese girl), and I started our trek at about 1,600 meters above sea level in Mcleod Ganj. We are headed to Triund, one of the Himalaya region’s mountains. Colorful flags lined our paths. The sun illuminated the West while a ominous dark cloud loomed over to the East. Hopefully it won’t bother us too much today. We met a British family on horseback taking the easy way up. At 5,000 rupee per horse I’ll become a hiker.

At 2,200 meters above sea level we can see our town as well as the Dalai Lama’s house which has distinct rooftops that look like tents.

I want to go off topic for a minute and comment that Justin Bieber is immensely popular here. I I have no idea why, but I see Indian masses singing his song played by a loudspeaker on an outdated cell phone. Luckily we came across hippies playing psych-rock and smoking weed. It was a nice escape from “Baby Baby” which tends to be the only song of his that made it over here. It’s such a simple easy song it wedges itself inside your head and is a very long and painful process to get out. Anyway, just thought that was noteworthy.

Just noticed a massive amount of goats climbing the steep cliffs of Triund. They are shepherded by Indians that use clicks and whistles that don’t sound anything like a goat to attract them. It doesn’t seem to work. Some goats pause on precarious cliffs to gnaw on the fresh foliage while others bump and ram each other to push the next goat along.

The mountain passes and valleys are extremely steep and vast. What a beautiful landscape. Hope some of my pictures turn out well. We’re now 2,510 meters above sea level and thoroughly exhausted. We’ve hiked over six kilometers with three kilometers to go. We rest on some rocks while eating some Tibetan bread we had previously purchased. At this time I feel like a hobbit climbing Mount Mordor except this mountain keeps getting colder. Supposedly every thousand meters you climb it gets seven degrees (Celsius) colder. We’ve just about climbed a kilometer strait up. Very nice.

We have reached one of the tops of Triund at 2,875 meters above sea level. That’s what the sign says at least. Our German friend’s GPS says around 2,700 meters but I’ll go ahead ab believe the larger number. The top looks similar to Machu Picchu’s terrain with interestingly shaped rocks and grass everywhere. Quite a sight. We can see another destination from here through a thick screen of fog and moisture. It’s a glacier. We decide not to go to return before sunset. It gets down to eight degrees here at night and places to stay are not heated. You have a choice between a cave or a very expensive (and crappy) room. No thanks.

Another side note: there is poop everywhere. Not just on this mountain, but everywhere in India. On average while walking outside in India I see poop about every ten seconds. It’s simply astounding. I feel as though I’m becoming a poopologist due to the amount and variations I’ve seen. From hard to soft to runny to tiny to mounds to pies to about any shape size and smell you can imagine. I’d say if there is a lowest common denominator of things to see in India it’s got to be poop. Poop poop poop.

June 1, 2011
Very glad I didn’t stay the night on the mountain. It was incredibly cold, rainy, and windy today. Nearly impossible to climb down. I also would’ve missed out on my amazing banana, peanut butter, and honey pancake along with hot chocolate and a banana chocolate crepe. Yum yum! Cost about three dollars. Must remember to try and make these back home.

*Note to self: Mush the banana into the batter and spread peanut butter on top then drizzle honey over the pancake.

June 2, 2011

Today was a mix bag of pleasant and unpleasant experiences. I started the day eating the best pancake I’ve ever had. It was a banana, honey, peanut butter, and fruit jam pancake along with fresh seasonal orange juice. Simply amazing! They use green oranges here to make juice with. Interesting. The pancake felt like I was eating a dessert. Heaven on Earth. Later I tried to figure out how to get a canceled flight refund through the travel agent I booked it through. It’s a very difficult process that hopefully will be completed tomorrow.

I decided not to go to Srinagar for fear for my health. I’ve heard horror stories online about militant groups coming aboard buses, religious extremists, and even kidnapping for money. Decided it’s not worth some pretty pictures.

Sascha and I trek to a waterfall which lasted three kilometers after a short rickshaw to Daramkot. The waterfall was beautiful, but I wound up at a crossroads weather or not to step on a rickety log that looked as if it going to float away or jump to the next rock over.

I ended up jumping to the next rock which was slightly diagonal. My foot stayed with the rock and my leg went across causing a loud crack as if several celery sticks were just broken.

I severely sprained (hopefully not broken) my ankle after the jump. I cursed myself because I was three kilometers away from a place with roads. Luckily, I was near the freezing water from the falls, so I dunked it to slow the swelling. Afterward, I kept my leg elevated on the rocks and repeated the process until my foot felt frozen. After that Sascha and I made the slower trek back with a taxi waiting for us. Expensive, but it was worth every rupee. I got some cream from a pharmacist before he closes and some apple beer to help me sleep. It’s dark now. I will see a doctor in the morning.

June 3, 2011

I woke up with my leg feeling better, but once I got walking it started to hurt again. I ate breakfast, got money from the canceled flight. and started to ask around for doctors. The hotel manager took me to one, but little did I know this doctor was just on the street. I nervously agreed to have him look at my ankle. He started to press on my foot to see where it hurt then pulled out a medieval looking rope and string combination. He wrapped it around my toes while I looked on in fear and uncertainty. I looked around at the people coming to watch and asked “Is this okay!? Is this right!?” loudly. He quickly yanked my foot and undid the string around my toes with my jaw agasp. I really hope it hasn’t exacerbated my condition. Afterward, he said to walk up and down the alley to exercise it. Turning around was still hard for me. I falsely thanked him then proceeded to find a real hospital. I need an x-ray to ease my mind. Especially now.

I arrive at the Tibetan Delek Hospital. When it’s my turn after an hour of waiting they tell me it’s lunch time. “Why did you come so late”, they said. “I didn’t know 11am was late”, I replied. Apparently they have a lunch break from 12am-1pm. I’d hate to have an emergency during this time here. I wait another hour for the hospital to open again and get my x-ray. Only 100 rupees (about two dollars). What a deal. As I’m waiting for the film to develop I see an increasing amount of pregnant women. I’m informed that Friday at this time is when the doctor only sees pregnant women. Now to get a doctor’s opinion I have to go to one upstairs. This kind of schedule un-uniformity is incredibly common in India.

I went to the doctor upstairs with my x-ray and it turned yet again into a rat race. Even foreigners tried cutting in front of me. I eventually stood by the door legs apart to make sure I’m the next one in. Finally saw the doc and she told me that the swelling is so great she can’t make an accurate assessment of the x-ray. She also says that I shouldn’t be walking (great), no massaging, and keep it elevated which is exactly the opposite of the opinion from two street doctors. I believe I’m going to listen to her. Luckily she says the meds I’ve been taking from the pharmacy are just fine.

Before I call it a day and rest I went to visit an interesting old man who I’ve seen wondering the streets. I wanted to know his story. Sascha and I saw him at his usual afternoon spot near some shops just off the main street. He has a bushy untamed white beard, a golf cap, rolled up pants, a white dress shirt, a cane, and feet that looked swollen and infected. His head slouched as if he couldn’t move his neck. I greeted him and a friend of his named Daisy, an Indian woman, along with Rosie, a Tibetan woman, who look after him when they have time. I asked him who he was and about his life. Turns out he is only sixty years old and has been traveling for 44 years without having a fixed address. He’s originally from New York and is fairly Christian. He asked me if I believed in God a couple of times, and when I helped him stretch his arms in the air he always said, “Praise Jesus”. He was very soft spoken. I often had to put my ear right next to his face to understand what he said. He suffers from Parkinson's and an illness that causes a lapse in consciousness.

He still thinks he can travel more and even wants to teach English in Asia. I didn’t have the heart to tell him he couldn’t, but he really is in no condition to move anywhere. He is in desperate need of a social worker, but won’t go near the subject. Probably spent most of his life doing things by himself that he won’t admit when he needs assistance. A bit hypocritical because he essentially has just that with the two women that help him from time to time. The saddest part is that he has no place to stay. All the hotels won’t take him as he is and if there are any steps he needs help getting up and down them. It’s hard to find a ground floor in a mountain village. He asked to stay at my place. With my current foot condition I’m in no condition to help him up stairs, but I said I would ask my manager. He said no.

He then wanted to go to an Italian restaurant with a lot of stairs called Jimmy’s. We tried to talk him into a lower place, but he insisted. A brightly colored Indian woman, a cripple (me), and a German walk down the street helping this old man. We were quite a sight.

I managed to only get one picture of him. He was very against having pictures taken of him, but he eventually warmed up to me and I snapped a picture. He insisted that I don’t show his infected feet, which I thought had a story to tell just by themselves, and that his head was correctly aligned. I gave a joke then he smiled nice and big for the photo. Inside his pocket was a straw to help him drink, tissues, and a photo of him with the Dalai Lama. That picture was his most prized possession.

Some Indians ask us as we walk to Jimmy’s, “Do you guys need anything?”. Knowing that they either want to sell drugs or make a quick buck I still reply, “A place for this man to sleep”. “We live on the streets too”, they said as we passed.

The old man feels upset as he wobbles and pauses in the street. He believes that the hotel owners are superstitious of him which is why they won’t let him stay at their place. When he asked for a room at my place the owners got angry and upset that he was there. They shouted things in Tibetan as well. Perhaps there is some superstition unless he did something like pee on their doorstep in the past.

At the long awaited restaurant he falls asleep after after a long process of getting him up the steps and into a chair. Afterwards, I had to leave so I could elevate my leg, take care of myself, and chat with loved ones online.

June 4, 2011
The foot’s doing a little better and getting closer to normal size, but under the swelling bruises appear with an array of colors in a long horizontal streak just above the heel. I finally found a walking stick. You can’t buy one nearby, so the vegetarian restaurant I usually go to gave me one that someone left behind along with some ice. Thank goodness for the ice. Such a rarity to see ice in India.

While at Snow Lion, my vegetarian restaurant of choice, I learned of another story about the man I’ve noticed outside who lives in a metal box with a veil draped in front. Apparently he’s been living out of it for forty years with nowhere else to go. His brother lives down the street and does nothing to help. After living there for five to ten years he lost his vision, hearing, and ability to walk. Now Tibetan charities come by to clean his wounds, feed him, and nurse him. My foot troubles pale in comparison to almost all the stories I find in India. As I walked back to my hotel, just twenty meters away, I saw a dog licking his tail which had been severely cut and looked as though it was going to fall off. At this point in time I feel very lucky in this world. Things could have gone much worse than a severely sprained ankle. Suck it up Taylor.

June 5-6, 2011
I had prepared everything I could before 6pm which was the boarding time for my 12 hour bus ride from Mcleod Ganj to Delhi leaving at 6:20pm. I had bought another ticket for a slightly later bus just in case something went wrong. Sascha agreed to carry my stuff. As we walked we passed the man in the box again, but this time it was cloudy and the silk screen had been pushed aside. Great time for a photo, but sadly I had to stumble on with my bad foot or else I’d be late. I arrived at the bus parking at 6:10pm with no buses in sight. I asked a Punjabi passer by for help and he recommended to call the company. We were informed that the bus station moved a kilometer down by a church on Sundays. There’s that whole un-uniformity thing again.

I almost missed the bus, but narrowly made it on. The Punjabi man kindly went ahead and asked the driver to wait for a cripple. My seat was on the opposite side of the aisle than I needed for my leg so I asked a Tibetan girl across the aisle to exchange seats. She declined with no reason. I take back my statement that all Tibetans are generous.

As the bus gets going it turns into a rickety old machine that sounds like it’ll split in two any minute. Keep in mind this is a “deluxe” tourist bus which is much nicer than the local buses. The rest of the trip felt like a 12 hour roller coaster. Absolutely horrible for a man with a severe sprain and a belly full of food. To make the ride more bearable I made a make-shift splint/leg rest out of my bamboo stick and a hand towel. I positioned it under my butt to prevent it from pivoting. However, that didn’t stop it from shaking and bouncing on the roller coaster bus.

Eventually I decided that resting on the dirty aisle floor was the best option to get my leg elevated correctly. It certainly felt better on my foot, but my tailbone back paid the price for lying in that position. Ouch.

After my bus endurance test was over I finally arrived at a hostel near the Delhi airport where I’m writing this. Only 18 hours to go until my flight back to Korea then to America. Trying to get an hour of sleep in here and there. Let the good times...[snore].

Presidential Dinner 2011: Obama Jokes

2011-05-01T23:27:00.004+09:00

President Barack Obama is historically very diplomatic — even when discussing his most vociferous opponents. But at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday night, he poked fun at many of his prospective 2012 GOP challengers, including Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman, Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, and of course, Donald Trump. - from POLITICO

“Michele Bachmann is here. She is considering running for president. Which is weird, because I hear she was born in Canada. Yes, Michele, this is how it starts.”

“Jon Huntsman is with us. There’s something you might now know about Jon. He didn’t learn to speak Chinese to go there. Oh no. He learned English to come here.”

“There’s a vicious rumor floating around that I think could really hurt Mitt Romney. I heard he passed universal health care when he was governor of Massachusetts. Someone should really get to the bottom of that.”

Tim Pawlenty’s real name? According to President Obama, it’s Hosni, as in ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. “That’s unfortunate,” the president deadpanned.

As for Trump, the president said his decision to release his original, long-form birth certificate this week must have been a big relief for the New York real estate mogul. “He can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter. Like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?”

Phi the Golden Ratio

2011-04-27T22:15:00.006+09:00

A Fibonacci spiral. Cheesy...yes, but to the point.

Now a lot of people in the field of media and photography probably know about this, but I thought it should be noted for those within the amateur spectrum (myself included). There is a mathematical ratio that can make things beautiful (most of the time) when it comes to photo composition, architecture, and even nature itself. This magical number is approximately 1.6180339887, and it goes by many names:

- the golden ratio
- the golden mean
- phi ( ) from Greek origin
- the golden section
- Fibonacci’s Ratio
- extreme and mean ratio- medial section
- divine proportion
- divine section
- golden proportion
- golden cut
- golden number

It has such a divine label because it has been connected to some of the most beautiful works of art (Mona Lisa among others), architecture (the Parthenon), a huge chunk of nature (sunflowers, the human body, DNA, shells, the universe, etc...), and even financial markets (see the Fibonacci retracement). By noticing it's connections there seems that everything has been built as if by a creator; hence the word divine.

"... this law was made famous by Leonardo Fibonacci around 1200 A.D. He noticed that there was an absolute ratio that appears often throughout nature, a sort of design that is universally efficient in living things and pleasing to the human eye. Since the Renaissance, artists and architects have designed their work to approximate this ratio of 1:1.618. It’s found all over the Parthenon, in famous works of art like the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, and it’s still used today. The divine proportion has been used by companies like Apple to design products, it’s said to have been used by Twitter to create their new profile page, and has been used by major companies all over the world to design logos. It’s not talked about in most photography circles because it’s a somewhat advanced method of composition and can be confusing to a lot of people. It’s so much easier to just talk about the “rule of thirds” because it’s exact, precise and easy to follow." - DPS (Digital Photography School)

The rule of thirds, more commonly found in film and video texts, seems to be a poor man's version of this.

Hit 'Read more' to check out a gorgeous video about the subject below along with great links for more information:

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio

Here is another great article about it for photogs: http://www.digital-photography-school.com/divine-composition-with-fibonaccis-ratio-the-rule-of-thirds-on-steroids

It all really makes me recall the movie "Pi" by Darren Arosnosky and wonder if it should've been named "Phi".

Ode to Korea

2011-04-05T10:30:00.000+09:00

Here's a short music video describing South Korea from a foreigner's perspective to the tune of Amy Winehouse's "Rehab".

Ode to Korea from Taylor on Vimeo.

M.C. Escher in Real Life

2011-02-19T00:45:00.002+09:00

People have gotten a little creative on the "internets" and decided to make impossible structures based off M.C. Escher designs. Others have gotten very creative with the aspect of tricking the eye.

Hit "read more" for tons more photos and videos.

I for one love it when these can be immersed in public spaces.

Chalk street art to make cars slow down in a parking garage.

And other illusions for your personal abode.

These use dense tubes that resemble cables to make the lamps stand up.

This one is cleverly bolted to the ceiling via plastic balloons.

A good use of space, texture, and the art of illusion.

One just for fun.

Why Games Are More Like Movies

2011-02-19T00:44:00.000+09:00

Video games have certainly come a long way since I was little. I'm 25 years young, but I still remember games reminiscent of Pong on the Atari system my Grandpa had.

With cinema scenes becoming better graphically and cinematically by utilizing actors, creative lighting that looks like a video version of HDR, music, sound, and story there's room for video games to heavily influence our movies instead of visa versa. Below is a great example of how games resemble the art and craft of cinema.

An actual HDR video can be seen under this paragraph. The time-lapse technique used is the easiest way to have HDR in video. Essentially putting three different pictures (one dark, medium, and bright) at the same angle and stitching them together. Then stitching all those together at about 29 pictures a second. Don't forget a buttload of color correction...phew. Still, incredibly well made and executed using sliders from Ditogear by Patryk Kizny.

Holographic Entertainment: Way Better than Current 3D

2011-02-19T00:29:00.001+09:00

3D is still the trend when it comes to blockbusters and today's consumer technology, but there has been a more effective way to watch things in three dimensions for a while. You've heard of it and seen it many places, but it's ability to be immersed in mainstream media has been limited. I'm talking, of course, about holograms. Holograms essentially display images as if they were real objects. You're able to walk around them and view them from all sides. Just think what this will do for video chats, conferencing, movies, TV, medical and engineering departments, and...er...um porn.

The reason 3D technology will eventually be ousted is not only that holograms will look and feel more realistic, but the technology can never let you reach that point. Your eyes converge on actual objects, but in 3D movies they stay fixed on the screen. The more "3D" the look of the media the more flicker you get while watching it. It makes it more and less real at the same time. Plus you also can get major headaches and eyestrain from watching 3D content because it's fooling your eyes to make it seem like there is depth when there really isn't any. It's for this reason children under six should stay away from watching 3D media. However, with hologram technology there will be physical depth to the image that your eyes can converge at just like a real object.

You can expect to see holographic TVs for sale within the next few years or so. With all this new tech coming out it's only a matter of time before they make the holograms smell like objects (hello again smell-o-vision), move the hologram, and feel like something is there (i.e. Japan's ultrasonic sound hologram).

Educate yourself! See how much hologram technology has evolved under your nose. Check out these pictures, links, and videos:

Hit the jump for more videos, an amazing hologram, and a crappy one.

Below is a holographic anime like character who has become immensly famous in Japan. One thing comes to mind..."only in Japan".

She is cute, stylish and has had a number one chart-topping single. Japan’s newest and biggest pop star differs from most of her peers in one crucial aspect: she is a hologram. Hatsune Miku has taken the music scene by storm in her native Japan where her concerts are always sold out and are full of screaming, adoring fans.Miku is a digital avatar created by Japanese technology firm Crypton Future Media that customers can purchase and then program to perform any song on their computer.

Of course, we can't forget CNN's hologram splurge that looks like a badly Photoshoped person. Granted it's a state of the art Photoshoped person.

*At the World Cup in 2022 Japan plans to work with South Korea in creating a fully 3D and holographic version of the game. More info here.
* Scientific method seen here.
* If you'd like to know more about why "3D doesn't work and never will" then click this link.

LASIK: In Seoul

2011-02-19T00:27:00.002+09:00

LASIK has no doubt come a long way since it's conception. Believe it or not using a microkeratome, or the tool to cut a flap in the cornea, has been utilized since 1950.  Moving forward into the recent past, people used to have to wear bandages after the surgery, it carried more risks, and was incredibly more expensive than today. Now with new technologies such as wavefront, micro-LASIK, LASEK, and permanent contact lenses it's seems to be a good time to say goodbye to glasses and contacts...at least until I need readers in old age.

That's why I recently opted for LASIK surgery at the Dream Eye Center in Seoul, South Korea. Besides it being a truly professional place that speaks English it's also a fraction of the price than in America. Sorry USA, but keep working on that health care system.

For those of you who are unaware or interested in the LASIK procedure then here's the gist:

LASIK:
   The good - Fast recovery, little discomfort, and a simple three step process (make a flap, reshape the cornea with a laser, and put the flap back).
   The bad - Possible long term effects (i.e. dry eyes, night halos, etc...)
   Micro-LASIK - cuts a thinner flap and leaves more of the cornea untouched.

LASEK:

The good - For people who are not as applicable for LASIK (strange shape of an eye, people that do contact sports, etc...) and with less long term risks. With new tech it can have much less pain than previous LASEK.

The bad - Usually has more pain and a much longer recovery time than LASIK.

Micro-LASEK - uses mitomycin to reduce haze

WAVEFRONT: It more precisely measures the imperfections in your eye by using waves to create "perfect eyesight".

(ICL) Implantable Contact Lens: Just what it sounds like. They insert a sterile contact lens into your cornea. Safer for your cornea, but currently costs more.

Below is a video of my surgery from the viewpoint of a friend outside the operating room.

Smell-O-Vision is back baby!

2011-01-18T23:27:00.002+09:00

Good greif. I feel like this will somehow be less annoying in the future. "Well, if there's a buck to be made..."

Have you ever gone to a movie and wanted to feel like you were really there? As if all the smells and sounds were real? This year at CES, ScentSciences released a bread loaf sized product that appeals to your nose…of all things. Movies that have been created with their ScentEditor software can make you smell all the smells that you would imagine to be on screen. It’s kind of a creepy way to put you more into the movie, but hey, smells are a sense we don’t use during a movie other than for popcorn, so why not?

There is a scent cartridge that can hold up to 20 distinct smells and any smells you want can be custom ordered. These cartridges should last up to 200 hours and needless to say that’s a lot of time to smell things. This weird device only costs $69 and $19 for the editor software. This probably is a really good idea to start incorporating into movies and such as scent and memory are closely connected, but it’s still a strange concept to me.

Link via Red Ferret

Some photo tests and experiments

2011-01-18T23:12:00.002+09:00

Took a lot of tries to get this kind of smoke jellyfish pattern.

You can even see the texture of the lens. Tell me that's not cool?

Being in Korea you can't really forget about soju.

Golden Globes recap

2011-01-18T23:02:00.004+09:00

Great intro by Ricky Gervais:

And the winners are...

BEST PICTURE - DRAMA
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network

BEST PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Alice in Wonderland
Burlesque
The Kids Are Alright
Red
The Tourist

BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronosfsky, Black Swan
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David O. Russell, The Fighter

BEST ACTOR - DRAMA
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter

BEST ACTRESS - DRAMA
Halle Berry, Frankie and Alice
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

BEST ACTRESS - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Anette Bening, The Kids Are Alright
Anne Hathaway, Love and Other Drugs
Angelina Jolie, The Tourist
Julianne Moore, The Kids Are Alright
Emma Stone, Easy A

BEST ACTOR - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp, The Tourist
Paul Giamatti, Barney’s Version
Jake Gyllenhaal, Love and Other Drugs
Kevin Spacey, Casino Jack

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Jackie Weaver, Animal Kingdom

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Michael Douglas, Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Despicable Me
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Tangled
Toy Story 3

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Biutiful
The Concert
The Edge
I Am Love
In a Better World

BEST SCREENPLAY
Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David Seidler, The King’s Speech
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Alexandre Desplat, The King’s Speech
Danny Elfman, Alice in Wonderland
A.R. Rahman, 127 Hours
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Social Network
Hans Zimmer, Inception

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Bound To You” (Burlesque)
“Coming Home” (Country Strong)
“I See The Light” (Tangled)
“There’s a Place For Us” (The Chronicles of Narnia)
“You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me” (Burlesque)

Filipino robot teachers in Korea!? That does it...I'm out.

2010-12-31T15:50:00.006+09:00

Well everybody, I believe the sign for me to leave this country just arrived. South Korean schools are getting robots to teach their students. By robots, I mean robots who have a Filipino women's face teaching via avatar because Filipino English teachers would be cheaper. F%$&! I can't even type anymore after hearing this. Here's a quote:

Engkey, a white, egg-shaped robot developed by the Korea Institute of Science of Technology (KIST), began taking classes Monday at 21 elementary schools in the southeastern city of Daegu.

The 29 robots, about one metre (3.3 feet) high with a TV display panel for a face, wheeled around the classroom while speaking to the students, reading books to them and dancing to music by moving their head and arms.

The robots, which display an avatar face of a Caucasian woman, are controlled remotely by teachers of English in the Philippines -- who can see and hear the children via a remote control system.

Cameras detect the Filipino teachers' facial expressions and instantly reflect them on the avatar's face, said Sagong Seong-Dae, a senior scientist at KIST.

"Well-educated, experienced Filipino teachers are far cheaper than their counterparts elsewhere, including South Korea," he told AFP. - Via Yahoo News

I have no doubt that robots will have a bigger part in our lives in the near future, but this seems to be pure economics and not in the students best interest. Engineers are probably happy though. Even if it's eventually cheaper (robots cost a lot), any teacher will say that you get a much better education with a real person in the classroom. Hand gestures, interaction, hands on learning, and demonstration through examples would be sacrificed.

Since kids can be destructive if discipline is minimal I can only assume the robot will be destroyed by the students within the first two weeks. However, they'll probably have a supervisor to cattle prod the students who touch it...making the only physical interaction a good 'ol fashioned electric shock. Spare the prod spoil the child.

To president Obama, if you want to adopt the Korean school system then just take a look at this article and tremble. Focus on good teachers and a high level of education. Take a look at Finnish education.

South Korea civil defense drill

2010-12-16T17:26:00.000+09:00

On December 15th 2010 South Korea held an extra special civil defensive drill at 2pm in lue of the recent Yeongpeon island attack that killed four people.

It's the largest-ever civil defense drill against a possible North Korean attack.South Korea has conducted monthly civil defense training nationwide since 1975 to be prepared against possible North Korean attacks.

local residents attend a civil defense drill against possible attacks in Paju, South Korea, Dec. 15, 2010

The pictures and video I've seen on the news was very different from what I experienced. I went outside to take some pictures of this event (on one of the coldest days of the year), and all I saw was traffic being stopped by military and people waving bright yellow flags. There were some helicopters and planes nearby to simulate an air raid, and in other places closer to the boarder people were practicing bio-weapon attack drills.

Nobody was walking the streets including me after a civil defense ajuma (old lady) pulled me aside and took me into the nearest building. I was trying to take pictures and escape while the rest of the people inside started chatting about what the heck I was doing. The whole thing was over in fifteen minutes which most people at work wouldn't even notice it. Afterwards, the streets filled up and traffic continued like nothing happened.

Kim Jong Il looking at things

2010-12-16T17:04:00.002+09:00

Here's a fun little website dedicated to picture of Kim Jong Il looking at things

Scary, sad but not surprising news

2010-11-23T16:56:00.006+09:00

Sufferin' succotash! Just a an hour ago, North Korea bombed a South Korean island in Yeonpueong near Seoul with over 200 shells. Ut oh...to the embassy! Maybe Kim Jong Il's new fat kid needed a warriors welcome to the throne by injuring civilians. That's a good way to show him how it's done. Geez. That old ajuma (grandma) looking Tyrant up there throws too many damn tantrums. First Cheonan...now this.

This is the first time N. Korea has attacked a civilian area since the armistice. One S. Korean soldier has been confirmed dead and civilian houses have been burned by the attack.

Seoul (where I currently live) is pretty damn close to the boarder. I truly hope this is just N.Korea flexing it's muscles again. I feel terrible for the Koreans who were injured. If an American got hurt it may be war which it still may be with tensions high right now. N. Korea has been careful only to injure S. Koreans. Really terrible to say it that way.

The Blue House just received a message from North Korea complaining against the Hokuk, or national security, practice it's been doing. The president is holding a meeting to prevent any more combat from starting.

I'm guessing this will probably end in sanctions, glares, and eventually not much changing. My heart goes out to those who were injured in this attack.

G20 Summit in Seoul 2010

2010-11-16T17:49:00.001+09:00

The G20 came to Seoul for the 5th semi-annual summit. Here's a breif history and all the background info you'll need (just skim it)...

"The Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (G-20, G20, Group of Twenty) is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 economies: 19 countries plus the European Union, which is represented by the President of the European Council and by the European Central Bank. Their heads of government or heads of state have also periodically conferred at summits since their initial meeting in 2008. Collectively, the G-20 economies comprise 85% of global gross national product, 80% of world trade (including EU intra-trade) and two-thirds of the world population." (from the Official G-20 website)

Some issues covered by the leaders:

Ensuring global economic recovery
Framework for strong, sustainable, and balanced global growth
Strengthening the international financial regulatory system
Modernizing the international financial institutions
Global financial safety nets
Development issues
The risk of a currency war

The previous summit was held in Canada which an act of lighting cars on fire got more publicity than what actually happened at the summit. The protests against some of the policies being enacted were fierce, but within reasonable grounds. The main beef these protesters and organizations had with the G20 was that there new policies will hurt labor rights and cut social welfare. There's also a strong fight against a free trade agreement with the US president Barack Obama and South Korea.

Seoul Zombie Walk 2010 - Video

2010-11-07T02:52:00.000+09:00

What do we want?

BRAINS!

When do we want it?

BRAINS!

Rally to Restore Sanity

2010-10-31T23:13:00.015+09:00

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's 'Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear' was one of the most level headed and concise rallies I've ever seen. Through comedy these guys can point out obvious problems without getting too "preachy". Comedy allows everyone to see contradictions and problems in our political system much faster than a lecture or a seminar. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the rally live from South Korea while I'm away from the country I was born in and love dearly.

Colbert (left) and Stewart (right)

I found it even more interesting that this rally has "compelled some Americans living abroad to cast votes in a mid-term election they may have otherwise ignored. It's also sparked more than 1,160 mini-rallies in 84 countries, morphing into something of a global political happening." (source: Christian Science Monitor)

Below are some of my favorite quotes from the rally and I highly recommend everyone see it if you get the chance. Clips from the whole rally can be seen here.

"If we amplify everything, we hear nothing."

"[The rally is] for the people who think shouting is annoying, counterproductive, and terrible for your throat; who feel that the loudest voices shouldn’t be the only ones that get heard."

"This was not a rally to ridicule people of faith. Or people of activism or to look down our noses at the heartland, or passionate argument or to suggest that times are not difficult and that we have nothing to fear. They are and we do. But we live now in hard times, not end times. And we can have animus and not be enemies."

"There are terrorists and racists and Stalinists and theocrats but those are titles that must be earned." Stewart cited the importance of distinguishing between "real racists and Tea Partiers, or real bigots and Juan Williams or Rick Sanchez," because failing to do so "is an insult, not only to those people but to the racists themselves, who have put in the exhausting effort it takes to hate."

"The press is our immune system.If it overreacts to everything, we actually get sicker. And perhaps eczema. And yet, with that being said, I feel good. Strangely, calmly good."

100 Best signs at the rally

Also, if you get the chance - Jon Stewart's interview with Barack Obama is definitely worthwhile. A very sane interview indeed.

Seoul Zombie Walk 2010

2010-10-31T19:49:00.000+09:00

The Seoul Zombie Walk is a gathering of non-zombies who dress and try to look like the undead. Any real zombies who attended were immediately shot in the head. After getting sufficiently inebriated, their off to scare anything living.

This tour started in Seoul Forest (Ttukseom Stn.) and went to Hongdae. During the zombie trek they successfully scared a number of people including, but not limited to shop keepers, people in restaurants, children (lots) and families in cars. However, zombie scare tactics are apparently nullified by the grit of older Korean men. Many were more than not pleased with the situation. One even called the cops on the walking dead.

On the subway zombies continuously shocked and amazed people. Scratching at the windows, occasionally leaving blood marks, acting dead then freaking out all were weapons used to scare people who had no idea what was going on. The zombies continuously lurked through every car of the train scaring every new passenger to get on. Afterwords bystanders pulled out their cell phone to get pictures and video of the "not so scary anymore" zombies.

Once in Hongdae the zombies scared almost everyone including a police officer who ran for his life, but after the initial shock ran out everyone piled in for a photo shoot with their favorite zombie.

Overall it was a fun experience with lots of fun people using the scary spirit of Halloween.

PHOTO ALBUM: SEOUL ZOMBIE WALK 2010

Halloween Costume and Kids

2010-10-31T18:19:00.003+09:00

Last year for Halloween I was "Conflicted" with an angel and demon on my shoulders.

"Conflicted"

This year I decided to go with something a little scarier...a Jason costume with a comb. I kept coming around to people and asking if I could, "comb their hair" with my bloody comb. Scared more adults than children. In smaller children's case I've notice that they don't cower in fear. They just stare at you until they start to cry. Sadness.

Jason before and after

At our Halloween celebration I was also in charge of a very vivid and fond memory of Halloween from my childhood. This involved bowls labeled "eyeballs", "organs", "witch hair", and "?". Instead of a blindfold I used black boxes with a felt opening to conceal what was really inside them (grapes, hot dogs, seaweed, and pasta). Some students were too scared to put their hands in. Some cried, some shrieked, and some pulled the food out. If they put their hand in every box then they get a candy. At the end I choose one brave student to put his hand inside the question mark box. I told them I got the animal inside from the zoo this morning. While the brave student puts his hand in the box mine is already waiting inside to grab him. It was great fun.

Scary boxes

PHOTO ALBUM: HALLOWEEN COSTUME AND KIDS

Video Mapping

2010-10-17T23:48:00.004+09:00

Something that has been around for a little while but hasn't come into everyday viewing is video mapping (also called projector mapping, video projections, and map projections). These amazing works of art use powerful projectors, video and animation to change your outlook on architecture. Some of which are incredibly imaginative and well done. I've seen one in Seoul and I hope to see many more as this type of media can extend to advertisements, light shows, art installations, and other outlets.

The 600 Years from the macula on Vimeo.

Living Room from Mr.Beam on Vimeo.

ENVISION : Step into the sensory box from SUPERBIEN on Vimeo.

NuFormer - Volvo, Frankfurt, September 2009 from NuFormer Projection on Vimeo.

Korean Encounters

2010-10-08T12:44:00.007+09:00

There is a side of Korea that I really haven't said anything about. I usually stick to the nice and fun side of it, which there's plenty of, but today I'm going to switch gears.

I encounter small fights, yelling, and rage from Koreans at least weekly. Not to say this doesn't happen elsewhere, but I'm intrigued about how this happens. It seems that the excess amount of work and school people put into each day makes them so stressed that they could explode any second. I've seen this happen all too often. Here are a couple of videos to describe what I'm talking about:

This video is about a guy who actually dies (Darwin award). This guy on a scooter misses the elevator and rams the doors until plummeting down the shaft. This is probably about the women in the subway elevator, mainly used by the handicapped and elderly, who did not hold the door open for him (or probably didn't see him coming). Rest in peace.

This video is about an older woman who gets pissed about a girl not giving up her seat on the subway for her. She screams, "Put this on YouTube!" at the end of the video. I really don't know why nobody is trying to stop this in the subway.

On the other side of the fence we see a young foreigner take on an old Korean man in Itaewon, Seoul. I've also seen many foreigners here that give me a bad name. We have a lot of military personell here in Seoul due to North Korea which can upset many Korean's. It's a necessary, but annoying aspect for Koreans.

The video shows the foreigner, a male whom police said is 31, repeatedly punching the old man in the head several times after an argument. After punching him, he is seen cursing at the older man as he is pulled away by another man at the scene.

“I fought in Iraq for six years to put up with your (expletive) and I killed more men” he screams. than you ever met, Police in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, reported that the two men started the quarrel at a pool hall in Itaewon.

Police said that the Korean man is 58.The victim declined to file a formal charge against his attacker. However, after watching the video, online users claim that the suspect needs to be punished.

“It is shocking,” one online user commented. “This needs to be traced until the suspect receives punishment....

Happy Chuseok (추석) !

2010-09-22T00:34:00.005+09:00

Happy Chuseok (추석) everybody! Today is September 22nd (in Korea at least) which means it's Chuseok in South Korea. Have a gander at some songpyeon (송편) that I bought which should fill your eyes with delight and "what the heck are those?".

How to make Korean liquor

2010-09-22T00:34:00.004+09:00

I found out about Susubori (수수보리 ) Academy in Seoul holding a Korean liquor making contest for foreigners. I've always wanted to learn how to make alcoholic beverages just out of curiosity. A lot of smart things go into an alcohol product that makes you less smart. Kind of ironic.

Anyway, the fermenting process of rice was interesting and easier than I had expected. You can check out the behind the scenes pictures here: PHOTOS: How to make Korean liquor

I'm still in the process of completing it so check back for an update.

Susubori (수수보리 ) Academy info sheet

Dialogue in the Dark

2010-09-12T20:09:00.010+09:00

I went to an exhibit in Seoul this weekend titled 'Dialogue in the Dark'. It's a blindness immersion experience complete with complex rooms in total darkness and walking canes. I was lucky enough to be there when an English speaking guide was working. Otherwise it would've been 90 minutes of learning Korean. I would have had a deaf and blind experience. Perhaps too much to handle.

The exhibition's idea is very simple. Visitors are led by blind or partially sighted guides (not ours) through completely darkened rooms. They are confronted with everyday situations, like crossing a street or finding a bench in a park, without seeing anything.

Roles are reversed, because the sighted people are torn out of their social routines and blind people give them a sense of orientation and mobility. During and after the tour visitors have the opportunity to ask questions they normally might never have asked a blind person. Doing that, escapements are being reduced on both sides. As a “platform for communication” the emphasis is not on blindness, but rather on the importance of empathy and solidarity. The exhibition wants to facilitate social inclusionof marginalized people on a global basis.

-Wikipedia

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would highly recommend it to others. It reminded me of a person's social experiment who I met at an art collective here in Seoul. He previously contacted random people for a two week long blindfold experience. He was passed around New York and Boston during this time without his sight. His other senses become better and when he finally got to see he thought he was on drugs. Everything was so colorful and rich that he went up to random people and commented on their clothes. "Wow lady, you're jacket is sooooo purple. Did you know that!?"

So yeah, go ahead and experience a lack of senses to get more out of them.

In the exhibit viewing the beautiful park area.

It came to my hometown of KC!

If you want to go it's at Sinchon station (신촌역) on line 2 the green line.

Vertigo Building (close to Sinchon station)
Changcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu
Seoul, Korea
URL: www.dialogueinthedark.co.kr
Ticket price: 30,000 won (30 bucks) but worth it

Call in advance! (for English tours)
Opening hours
Tuesday – Friday: 12am – 8:30pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10am – 7pm
Phone: 02-313-9977

Kids Say the Dardest Things (Part 2)

2010-08-17T18:21:00.003+09:00

Q and A:

Q: Do you want to be President someday? Why or why not?
A: No, because I have to study.

Q: How do you pronounce “champion”?
A: Tampon.

Q: How do you know when someone loves you?
A: Teacher, their eyes look like hearts.

Q: What's the opposite of country?
A: Shitty. (trying to say city)
Q: No it's city.
A: Yes, shitty...shitty teacher.

Stories:

During the end of snack time in my first Kindergarten class there was a little milk left for me. I drank the rest of it from the carton while a kid made me laugh by doing a little dance. I immediately laughed and, for the first time in my life, sprayed milk from my nose. The kids looked shocked. I saved myself by freezing, striking a pose, and saying, “It’s magic!”

“Teacher! A monkey smokes like this...", as my student mimics a monkey smoking. We were talking about how animals help people.

From a fellow female teacher's class: "Teacher, do you have boyfriend?" said Harry, one of my first year elementary students. "No..." "But why not?" "Umm...I don't know?" "It is ok. You can just buy one!" - (kids know the darndest technologies these days).

Something falls on the floor. “OH SHIT” says 5 year old Dora. Teacher says, “Dora what did you say?” She covers her mouth and shakes her head. In the mean time 5 year old Aiden sitting next to Dora says, “Teacher she said OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT!”

Letters/Journals:

Dear Jerry and Larry,

Hello, my name is Lisa. I am Ashley’s student. How old are you? I’m twelve. I’m sad. Because my pet hamster is go to sky on February 10th. But I not lonely. I have new pet now.

Love,
Lisa

Dear Chicken,

I am sorry, but I will kill you with a knife once again. You are so yummy.

Your Knife,
Belle (8 years old, who has killed a chicken on her family’s farm in South Korea)

Title: A Disappearing Coin

I can make a rainbow! I thought I can do a few experiments (two or three). I made the fifth experiment: a disappearing coin. We made this in Ian teacher's class. I kinda miss him. But I kinda miss Robb Teacher, too. But the teacher we are studying is Taylor Teacher. His skin are all red, except for his arms. Because he played in the sun a lot and didn't use sunscreen. I used sunscreen, but I didn't get red at all. I got red a little, but 99.99% are still peach.

Title: Gray Pizza

I was eating a gray pizza. It was very tasty. I wanted to change its color. When Tom speaks Spanish, it makes me hungry too. In one night two days program, all men say like this when they are cold, "&%~~357♂♀8!" I deserve that is a weird thing. I hate to be water but I like it what I behave like water. When time goes backwards, I'm never going to know when I'm an adult. Dinosaurs were terrible. No human saw one dinosaur. But today, they are dead. They're at the museum. You can even see dinosaurs. Have you went to museums? I like museums because they have too much to look.

English names (when kids get to pick their names):

Batman
Davy Jones
Robot
Joy
Barbie
Buzz
Conan
King
Dinosaur
Rex
Minnie and Micky
Harry Potter
Love
Peter Pan
Tinkerbell
Goddess and Shining Star (twins)
Color
Ice
Apple
Puppy

Jeju island happy fun adventure time

2010-07-30T00:44:00.004+09:00

During my one week summer vacation I decided to be very Korean and go to Jeju island with a fellow coworker. Jeju is South Korea's largest island and is volcanic in nature due to Mt. Halla (Halla-san) which is also the tallest mountain in Korea at 1,950 meters high.

Here's the itinerary we made up as we went along:

1. Check out Love Land. A sex themed park made by university students and artists. If you'd like to see pictures from this please message me for the photo album link, because most are not appropriate to have on this blog.

2. Go to at least one beach. We went to Iho and Hamdeok beach.

3. East good food. We had duk, coconuts, fruits, vegetarian dishes, and the famous black pig.

4. Climb Halla-san. This ended with massively sore calves.

5. See a waterfall. Luckily three were right next to each other.

6. See the lava tube system. It's very different than a cave. No smell for one.

7. See Inception. Great movie for a rainy day.

8. Relax.

Check out the pics here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/waterbreed/JejuHappyFunAdventureTime?authkey=Gv1sRgCNPhzaW6jY6hGw&feat=directlink

Jeju happy fun adventure time

Kids say the darndest things (part 1)

2010-07-29T16:09:00.002+09:00

Here are a few excerpts out of the mouth of some of the students from classes:

This is from a kindergarten class.

A student yelled today, “Taylor teacher Taylor teacher! I um…I um……um…”. I ask, “Do you have a sentence in your head?” “Nope,” he responds.

This one is from Patty, a fellow teacher.

Teacher, do you have boyfriend? said Harry, one of my first year elementary students. "No..." "But why not?" "Umm...I don't know?" "It is ok. You can just buy one!

This is from my trip to Jeju.

I was going to the bathroom in Jeju island's airport and I saw a little Korean boy dressed as Superman with the cape and everything. He and I finished about the same time, and on our way out he turns to look at me and says, "Super-man!" with a musical voice. I said, "Hello superman," he paused then ran to find his mom and tell her all about talking to me.

Much more to come.

Korean Sunburn Treatment

2010-07-29T15:55:00.001+09:00

I got the worst sunburn I've ever had from being out in the sun at the Boryeong Mud Fest for three hours with sunscreen on. I was so perplexed as to how I got burned so badly, but then I found out that a person can burn much faster at a beach than other places due to the reflectiveness of the water. Regardless, I needed help, so I bought aloe, lotions, and anything I could find to help me move without a sharp searing pain everywhere but my privates.

That's about when a friend helped me with a Korean home remedy that only uses cucumbers. You wash them and chill them in the refrigerator. Next, you slice them thinly so they can stick onto your body. Place them on your burns for a while and later your burns will be relieved. It was amazing! I really did feel better after this remedy, so I advise all you crab people out there to use this treatment.

Boryeong Mud Fest 2010

2010-07-29T15:33:00.000+09:00

Since 1998 Boryeong, South Korea has been well known by it's mud festival in July. It attracts over two million visitors which supplies some small businesses up to 70% of their profit for the year. The mud is dug up in Boryeong and trucked to Daecheon beach to use in obstacle courses, activities, and mud pits. The mud is rich in minerals and is used in some cosmetics. However, this mud is better for the town as a tourist attraction than in agriculture.

Anyway, here are some pics of the down and dirty...

The aftermath!!!

Bau House Dog Cafe in 홍대 (Hongdae)

2010-07-29T15:15:00.000+09:00

My favorite dog there.

I went to this cafe that many in Seoul already know about nearby Hongdae. Those who don't I highly recommend going. Here are some distinct reasons why you should go:

1. Petting dogs helps your stress level
2. The tea is very good
3. Dog treats are cheap
4. If you're afraid of dogs - face your fear dammit
5. Have fun with pets you don't have time to take care of

Here is their website: http://club.cyworld.com/ClubV1/Home.cy/50239076

North Korean Mentality

2010-05-31T00:46:00.069+09:00

North Korean flag_______South Korean flag

Honestly, looking at North Korea from an outside perspective can make you think they are just plain bat sh!t crazy. It can be scary and terrifying learning that in such a totalitarian regime that if you talk bad about the government or complain about your rations - you and your family for three generations can stay in a prison camp and/or be killed. It's a place where fear and loyalty are the same thing.

However, it's very important to know how they got to be the way they are and why. Just so you know - everything I say in this entry is a culmination of facts from documentaries, books, articles, and the general opinions from South Koreans. I hope that even though I'm not scholarly educated in this subject that this simplified information will help you get a general understanding about how North Korea became North Korea.

First, we need to recall a brief history of Korea. It's a sad and aggravating history due to it's peninsular location on the continent. Every surrounding country wanted Korea as a strategic position.

Towards the beginning of its history Korea's three kingdoms (57 BC – 668 AD) has had to fend off invasions from several Chinese dynasties, Japan, and even the other Korean kingdoms. To China's surprise the Korean kingdoms were successful in fending them off.

Later the Goryeo period brought civil service and Buddhism, but it wasn't long before the Mongols invaded and engaged in thirty years of war. Later they both signed a peace treaty.

Afterwords, the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) flourished which was the longest running dynasty Korea had seen. It brought them the Great King Sejong who promulgated Hangul (한글), the Korean alphabet, so that his people could become more literate. Korea was doing very well for itself during this period until 1592-1636 when it was attacked again by Japan and then China.

Japan annexed Korea (put under Japanese rule) around 1910 as part of its 35 year imperialist expansion. Korean resistance did not succeed in the March 1st 1919. During this time, many Korean temples and pieces of history were destroyed. Japan's rule over Korea formally ended on September 2nd, 1945 when the Japanese were defeated in World War II.

This is when Korea starts to separate into the radically different countries we see today.

Sadly, after all this Korea's future was still not in it's own hands. Opposed by all Koreans the Soviet Union and the United States agreed to each temporarily occupy half of the country split at the 38th parallel and establish a government that would become free and independent.

After all this you can imagine that Koreans during this time knew hunger, hardship, and a ferocity that was able to keep invaders away for so long.

Korea wanted a leader who would not put up with invasions and tell other countries to "Stay out! We can take care of ourselves!", and Kim Il Sung (father of Kim Jong Il) was that person for the Soviet backed North Korea. He instituted a land reform that gave farmers more land and Japanese landlords less which made the divvying up of land fairly equal at the time. Surpassingly, this led to little or no bloodshed. Contrary to America's policy the Soviet Union supplied North Korea with a massive amount of military equipment before leaving in 1948.

In the American back South Korea, things didn't go as smoothly towards the beginning. American military officials gave governmental power to Japanese and Koreans that collaborated with Japanese rulers. Soon after, an anti-communist named Syngman Rhee, who lived in America in exile, returned to South Korea. In August 1948, Syngman Rhee became the 1st South Korean president. The U.S. forces left the peninsula shortly there after.

Being unsatisfied with the splitting of the country, N. Korea decides to attack S. Korea in a forceful attempt to unify them both. This begins the Korean War in June 1950. The war takes place over three years, killed millions, destroyed most cities, bankrupted the countries, and ends up at about the same 38th parellel they started at before the war. Only a ceasefire agreement was made in 1953, so the two countries are still technically at war. Although, joint declarations have been made for a peaceful unification since.

In 1953 South Korea's GDP was lower than Ghana's. Fifty years later it jumps more than 17 times higher and ends up around 13th in the world. This is seen as the work of Park Jung-hee, a former South Korean president and a major general, who is credited for the economic reforms that industrialized South Korea to make it the country it is today*.

After the Korean War in North Korea was led by the young rebel Kim Il Sung who returned to North Korea after taking part in an anti-Japanese rebellion based in China. His name, which he changed in 1935, literally means 'become the sun'. He based his rule on the philosophy of Juche (주 체) which has also been dubbed KimIlSungism. It teaches that man is the master of everything and decides everything. Quite a powerful message to those after a crippling war.

To maintain power under a communist dictatorship Kim Il Sung claimed that the United States deliberately spread diseases among the North Korean population. He also did purges which had people disappear to prison camps to scare others into accepting these rumors.

He later made himself the iconic piece of a personality cult where he is perceived as a god. Children are taught to love him, uniform dress in put into place, and freedom of speech is no where to be found. During this time, he refused to become a Soviet satellite state. Through this and his personality cult he was soon to be called the "Great Leader" in North Korea.

In the 1960's Kim Il Sung took note of Ho Chi Minh's policy on reunifying Vietnam using guerrilla tactics. Kim Il Sung attempted to invade the Blue House (presidential house in Seoul) and assassinate president Park Chung-hee not once but twice and killed his wife in the process.

In 1972, being proclaimed president of North Korea due to a new constitution Kim Il Sung announced that his son, Kim Jong Il,would rule after him.

On July 8, 1994 at age 82, Kim Il Sung died from a heart attack. Kim Jong Il had a well known doctor flown in instead of using his fathers personal doctors nearby. This may have been to ensure his rise to power. Kim Jong Il had to wait three years before he could become president due to the traditional Confucian mourning period. Reports of death and suicides occured after "The Great Leader's" death was announced. Now they call Kim Jong Il the "Dear Leader". His inauguration supposedly caused pear trees to bloom in autumn, and a fishermen who netted a rare albino sea cucumber that had come to hail the "Dear Leader's" triumph.

Kim Jong Il's father didn't leave the country in great condition. North Korea is nearly isolated from the outside world, except for limited trade and contacts (China, Russia, Vietnam, and Cuba). Its economy was essentially bankrupt due to spending on military equipment. North Korea also has an agricultural sector that is unable to feed its people. Despite all this, the North Korean media continues to idolize both father and son.

Since then, Kim Jong Il has found himself at odds with the rest of the world, and with nuclear weapons at their disposal North Korea still refers to military power like it has since the beginning of it's history.

More recently, North Korea devaluated it's currency in December of 2009 to suppress inflation and an effort to crudely punish North Koreans involved in black market trading. It was also an attempt to make people more dependent the state. However, most people in North Korea were practically starving to begin with.

This revaluation essentially made the North Korean won worthless overnight by taking away two zeros from it's currency. The last time it revaluated it's currency it was a 1 to 1 ratio. This time they made 1,000 won worth only 10 won. The government also limited the trading to a meager amount (about $600 per family). Panic and fear spread throughout North Korea because peoples saving were being obliterated. They tried to trade the won in black markets quickly and buy goods instead of devaluing their savings.

Because of this the South Korean Cheonan ship attack in March 2010 could have been a purposefully done by N. Korea to unite the country again and to make them forget about the devalued currency.

I don't know what North Korea will do in the near future, but I hope that with the state that North Korea is in it will resort to a resolving peace treaty with South Korea and not start another war.

I hope this post has educated you on North Korea and this peninsular country in general. Please feel free to comment and blab about anything concerning this subject. I'd love to hear your feedback.

*I found Park Jung-hee to be a very interesting person in South Korea's history by the way he did things for the good of the country even if they were being opposed. However, that isn't what this post is about. If you're interested in learning about him I highly suggest this article: Park Jung-hee

Korean Sinking Ship

2010-05-30T17:33:00.013+09:00

There has been a lot about North and South Korea in the news recently. The biggest story today about the tensions between the split countries is the sinking of a South Korean naval ship Cheonan by a North Korean torpedo. North Korea has denied this from the start and has said if any sanctions or put into place that will be an act of war against North Korea.

Before you can fully understand this situation we need to look at a few things. Let's say North Korea did blow up the ship. What reason does North Korea have for doing this? If shipping and trading are put on sanctions (which they are now) it will hurt North Korea much more than South Korea.

Secondly, China still considers N.Korea to be a friend, but China will not be taking sides on this issue. Not being backed by anyone will result in a total defeat for N.Korea - even if it does have [arguably] the second largest military in the world. I'm not saying N. Korea didn't do it but it seems odd to me.

Next, we need to look at South Korea. For being in this region of the world South Korea has done pretty well for itself politically. Most countries politics are either more corrupt or lacking a democracy.

Local elections are going on in South Korea right now and the government currently in power is not looked well upon by young people. During this warship attack the South Korean Grand National Party (the combination of two conservative parties) is taking advantage of this situation and using it to get voters. It may be a long shot but we cannot rule out political corruption as a potential accomplice for this incident.

Thirdly, North Korea devaluated it's currency in December of 2009 to suppress inflation and an effort to crudely punish North Koreans involved in black market trading. It was also an attempt to make people more dependent the state. However, most people in North Korea were practically starving to begin with.

This revaluation essentially made the North Korean won worthless overnight by taking away two zeros from it's currency. It made 1,o00 won worth 10 won. The government also limited the trading to a meager amount (about $600 per family). Panic and fear spread throughout North Korea because peoples saving were being obliterated. They tried to trade the won in black markets quickly and buy goods instead of devaluing their savings.

Because of this the Cheonan attack could have been a purposefully done by N. Korea to unite the country again and to make them forget about the devalued currency.

Lastly, I'd like to point out that this situation is more sensationalized in America than in South Korea. People here are not worried about a war or a big attack. That almost struck me as odd, but after realizing that war speech is so common from N.Korea it made more sense that they were just keeping up their totalitarian image. However, that doesn't mean I haven't planned my escape route in case a war does break out. I'll give you a hint...it involves me swimming to Japan. Actually it will be me banging on the US embassy's door and yelling like a little schoolgirl.

Honestly, I don't have much optimism about what will come of this, but I do hope for S.Korea to keep fighting for a better government and somehow have a peaceful resolution for N.Korea.

House Warming Party

2010-05-30T17:26:00.005+09:00

I recently got everything organized at my new apartment in Seoul so I decided to have a house warming party. Guests were forced to take a portrait before they left. However, the sun went down and I only had one light to work with (my flash). No fill and back light made it hard, but I think I got a few good pics in.

Check it out: House Warming Photos

GoPro is uber cheap HD POV

2010-05-26T23:54:00.006+09:00

I came across this video product called GoPro and it's uber cheap (under $300) for what it seems to do. I'd get one if I could find it here. Essentially it's a pint size 1080 HD wide angle video camera that can do semi slow motion (60fps) and can mount to practically anything. Yes, even that. That too.

I just really hope a certain type of film/video business doesn't find out about it. Humans really don't need to see some things in HD.

California has everything? A movie location guide.

2010-05-26T23:50:00.003+09:00

How do you shoot exotic locations for your film when you're in Hollywood and it's 1927, before the invention of travel and holodecks? Here's how: follow this old Paramount map of where to go to shoot things locally on the cheap. Northern California is essentially Siberia, everyone. Now you know. -I Watch Stuff

Fukuoka Visa Run

2010-05-16T16:07:00.019+09:00

I like going to Japan. I get upgraded to business class every time. Other than a comfortable one whole hour flight - the food is always delicious, and we all know I travel for the food.

The visa run is pretty cut and dry. Just in case you're interested, the whole reason I had to travel to Japan was because you can't get a work visa in the same country that your living in. So, you need to travel to a [preferably] close country with a Korean consulate and have the paperwork done over there. I didn't get my work visa before coming back to Korea so I had to make a 'Visa run'. Here's what you should check out if you ever need to do this:
1. http://www.planetesl.com/visarun_japan.php
2. http://www.efl-law.com/visarun.php

Now that's over with it's food picture time!

Sadly, I couldn't meet with my friend I knew in Fukuoka, so the rest of the three day trip was fairly boring. I was there during a 4.5 earthquake, met way too many other foreigners, and hung out with a robot. Check out the pictures below to fill in the gaps with your imagination because I'm too tired to write captions. Mwahahahah!

The end.

Fukuoka photo album

Fukuoka, Japan - Visa

Boseong Tea Fields

2010-05-16T14:37:00.010+09:00

I didn't do my job this time. Everything I'm writing about is not shown in a picture. Here's the reasons:

1. taking pictures in a Jimjilbong (public bath house) isn't looked well upon.
2. I was too busy enjoying the food to take a picture.

However, I got plenty of shots from the tea fields (the most famous one at least), but that's not what I want to talk about.

Here's the food they had in mind blowing (green tea) flavors:
1. green tea ice cream
2. green tea red bean bun
3. green tea panjan (Korean pancake)
4. green tea samgyeopsal (bbq pork)
5. green tea green tea
6. green tea noodles (hot and cold)

and best of all...

7. a green tea hot tub

Number seven isn't a food but it smelled delicious. Just like the smell of freshly brewed green tea with the pungent odor of naked Korean men.

But seriously, it was my first Jimjilbang experience in Korea. Mainly because I had enough of seeing old nude guys walk around at health clubs for hours on end in America. It seems the more misshapen a person's body is the more comfortable they are lounging around in the locker room naked for the whole day. Uhg.

Well, with that image firmly planted in your brain - dissolve it with this photo album below.

Boseong Tea Fields

Iron Man 2 Review

2010-05-03T23:19:00.009+09:00

This is the first time I've seen a movie come out in Korea before it's native country (for mass theatrical release at least).

Overall, the movie was entertaining and kept this little fidget from getting bored. I'm not sure if they (Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr.) scrapped the script again and did improv on the entire thing like they did in the first movie, but it kept the same pace and attitude as the original.

A few quick things to note:
- Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) doesn't have a Russian accent, but she does have incredibly ridiculous hair throughout fight scenes.
- Leave practical physics out of this movie.
- The climax is a bit short :(
- Stay until after the credits, or you will be beaten by a Norse god.
- Enjoy it.

Even though Downey's character doesn't go through as much of a 'heroes journey' change it's still a good movie. Check it out when it's released....mwahahahahah!

Back in the saddle again

2010-05-03T23:06:00.007+09:00

Hoo-yeah! Back in Korea for reasons unexplained. Seems like "I doubt that this will be the last time I visit Korea" equals two months from when I left. Enjoy it all you eighteen people who read this thing. There will plenty of awesomeness (Iron Man 2 before USA release, Mud Fest 2010, Jeju Island, Japan again, etc...).

Goodbye Korea...for now.

2010-03-07T05:54:00.006+09:00

This is a very belated goodbye, but goodbye Korea. It's been great. I'll never forget the friendly people I've met, the food I've eaten, the colleagues and friends I've laughed with, and the overseas adventures along the way. This has truly been one of the best years in my life, and I doubt that this will be the last time I visit Korea.

Korean DMZ

2010-02-20T20:04:00.013+09:00

I finally went to the DMZ this weekend through the USO. Through this tour we were able to step foot on North Korean soil. However, the USO was hard to find...especially at 6am in the morning. To all those who want to find the USO in Seoul for the DMZ trip you need to do the following:

1. Go to Samgakji (삼각지역) station on line 4 or 6.
2. Get off at exit 10 from line 6 (orange line).
3. Walk down the street you're pointed in until you find the USO on you left (about a 4-6 minute walk).

Also, here's some info about the DMZ if you've been in a hole for a while:

The Korean Demilitarized Zone (Korean: 한반도 비무장지대) is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and the east end lying north of it. It is 155 miles (248 km) long and approximately 2.5 miles (4 km) wide, and is the most heavily militarized border in the world. -Wikipedia

At the DMZ we weren't able to see the 'Bridge of No Return' because of an exercise going on. However, we were surprised by all the North Koreans dressed in Army outfits paying the DMZ a visit (not common at all). When we started taking their pictures and they started to take a picture with us in the background. It was pretty funny stuff.

*NOTE: do not point at N. Koreans with your finger or you may be provoking death. I didn't do it, but it's just a warning.

The soldiers told us stories about how childish the North Korean soldiers can be toward South Korea and the US. Apparently, some N.Korean soldiers took the S.Korean and US silk flags from a "temporary" meeting house. Afterwards, they started shining their shoes with them and degrading them however they could. Those soldiers also like to flip off the South side on a regular basis.

The sad fact is that there have been many attempts from the North to provoke war. Memorials along the way commemorate things like the deaths of those who were killed in the axe murder near checkpoint 3. North Korea has apparently provoked war almost every year since 1968. Read more about it on the Korean DMZ Wiki.

Anyway, the trip was enlightening and quite an experience. I highly recommend it...even in the winter time.

Honey Treats

2010-02-20T19:57:00.004+09:00

I told them I'd buy some if they let me film them. These guys are everywhere downtown and the honey treats are damn good.

Acupuncture

2010-02-18T19:17:00.009+09:00

Just over a week left in Korea so I'm trying to do everything I can before I leave. This includes acupuncture at an oriental medicine clinic that charges only 5000 won (about $5) per visit (20 if you only brought part of your insurance info. Guess who?).

I came prepared with a piece of paper that a Korean friend helped me write in Korean to indicate to the doctor that I was not sick and only required acupuncture for fatigue or some other reason that will convince him to stick needles in me. How many times will I say that in my life?

Anyway, first they lay you down on a firm bed-like table. Then one by one they tap a thin, but fairly long needle in strategic places depending on where your pain is. Apparently for fatigue you need two between your ears and eyes, two by your neck (you can't see them), two in your hands, two in your feet, and one on top of your head. After the needles are in place you are told to lie down and close your eyes until this timer outside your bed area goes off (about 25 minutes).

So apparently after five minutes I decide to whip out my camera with pulsating hands due to using my hand muscles with two needles stuck in them. I clumsily got a few pics taken but not without screwing up the needles in my hands. They hurt now so I decide to pull them out myself and lay them on the bed beside me.

The nurse comes back and notices I took them out and is a little surprised. But hell, when you have needles that are dangling from your skin because you've been moving too much - you kind of have to pull them out. Afterwards, you have noticeable marks where the needles were and feel a little weird as if the needles put pressure on certain muscles or stopped blood flow.

All and all, it was an experience and I recommend it to those of you who are not afraid of needles.

If you'd like to know more about this kind of thing visit the Acupuncture Wikipedia.

Acupuncture etc...

Polar Panoramas (aka: little planets)

2010-02-18T19:04:00.009+09:00

I decided to get hook and fish for some one trick pony effects in Photoshop. I caught this little gem along the way that makes panoramas into a 'little planet' using the Polar Coordinates effect in Photoshop. The setup is immensely easy. Here is a great tutorial (with picture references along the way) on how to make it work:

http://content.photojojo.com/tutorials/create-your-own-panorama-planets/

If you're too lazy to click the link, and know your way around Photoshop then here is a shorter explanation:

1. Stich the panorama together using Photoshop or PTGui
2. Select Image>Image Size from the menus. Uncheck ‘Constrain Proporties’ and set the “height” to the same value as your “width”. Next, rotate the image 180 degrees. (Image>Rotate Canvas>180)
3. Choose Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates from the menus and in the resulting dialog box, select the “Rectangular to Polar” setting.
4. Adjust levels and rotation accordingly.

Here are some semi-professional versions of my own that I cooked up. However, I still need some practice to perfect this art. Send me some of your own if you think they kick my ass. I'd love to see them.

Polar Panoramas

Hong Kong is beautiful rainy

2010-02-18T19:02:00.008+09:00

I spent my lunar new year vacation (one extra day off) attached to a weekend in Hong Kong. I was really excited to see this colonial mix of Asian and English influences, but when I arrived I found this subtropical place to be cold, rainy, cloudy, and foggy. Not the best of conditions for a picture taking escapade, but overall I think I managed and came out with some good photo opportunities.
My trip was short so I'll keep the description short too. My adventure, in chronological order, went something like this...

- got on a double decker bus to Hong Kong island
- found my hostel after asking five foreigners
- met a lost German photographer guy
- ate Chinese food that tasted like Jen Jen's back in America
- took tons of pictures of landscapes and city life on HK island and Kowloon
- watched the Chinese New Year parade with the San Diego Chargers cheerleaders (year of the tiger)
- tried to eat at a toilet themed restaurant ('Modern Toilet')
- found out that you can't use facebook or youtube in mainland China
- found out that you can't type the words "democracy" and "China" in the same day unless you want your internet to shut down.

All and all though I enjoyed myself thoroughly, but sometimes a city is just a city. Thanks for the memories Hong Kong. Click the picture link below for more pics.

Hong Kong

Avatar is still the news

2010-01-27T22:45:00.012+09:00

It seems Avatar won't leave us alone for some time so I decided to do one more Avatar post with a collected amount of interweb goo I found listed below.

1. Could've smuggled myself on:
Before I came to Korea I worked on a feature film called The Only Good Indian. It stared an actor named Wes Studi who has played in some of the most well known Native American movies of all time. Honestly, all I got to have was a couple of awkward forced conversations with the guy, but he seemed to be pretty cool overall. Figure we had a little difference in personalities and humor so my crappy cynical jokes didn't pan out too well. That's besides the point. The point is that he was acting on James Cameron's Avatar as the Na'vi chief the same time The Only Good Indian was shooting.

Interestingly, the Huffington Post did an article/interview about him which talks more about The Only Good Indian than Avatar. Check out the full interview: Native American Wes Studi is a Valued Player in Avatar

2. Avatar: Highest Grossing Movie Ever (inflation of old movies excluded)
So James Cameron beat his old Titanic spot. This is of course not taking into consideration how much more Avatar cost to make than Titanic, and that Gone With the Wind is still the highest grossing film if you factor the inflation over the year...but hey he did it!

Sure makes you wish you had some stock in that movie, or at least smuggled yourself on board the crew. Cheating and sneaking your way onto a private movie set = good resume material. Not even kidding.

3. Avatar Blues=ridiculous sad:

James Cameron's completely immersive spectacle "Avatar" may have been a little too real for some fans who say they have experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world Pandora.
On the fan forum site "Avatar Forums," a topic thread entitled "Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible," has received more than 1,000 posts from people experiencing depression and fans trying to help them cope. The topic became so popular last month that forum administrator Philippe Baghdassarian had to create a second thread so people could continue to post their confused feelings about the movie. --CNN

Ready for the ridiculous sad?

When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed … gray. It was like my whole life, everything I’ve done and worked for, lost its meaning,” Hill wrote on the forum. “It just seems so … meaningless. I still don’t really see any reason to keep … doing things at all. I live in a dying world.

Guess the world isn't blue enough for him. Check out the full article here: Audiences Experience 'Avatar' Blues. Picture below. I like the pizza guy in the second row.If you want to lust for a new world without terrorists, Dick Cheney, K-Pop, bland skin colors, and lint? Then here is a world called Pandora as if it were a National Geographic episode narrated by (who else?) Ms. Sigourney Weaver.

English Mania and Schools Killing Creativity

2010-01-27T22:31:00.020+09:00

Below is a TED video about how schools kill [kids] creativity, and another video about English mania sweeping the world. I found these two videos to be quite intriguing and poignant even though they were recorded some time ago. Now then, I must get back to smoking my pipe and reading the New York Times on my bear skin rug [puff] [puff]...quite right.

A normal day at Brighton

2010-01-18T19:04:00.004+09:00

This one goes out to my fellow colleagues. Thank you for all the great experiences...like the one below.

Too beautiful for words...the Monte Cristo from Bennigans

2010-01-17T22:00:00.016+09:00

Did you ever wonder what it would be like NOT to be told Santa Claus exists when you're young, and then one day finding out that a magical being that gives you presents is real? Well folks that's pretty much how I felt about the Monte Cristo at Bennigans.

This puppy has turkey, ham, and two kinds of cheeses on Texas toast. It is then deep fried with seemingly funnel cake-like batter and garnished with powdered sugar. If you think I'm finished then strap in because you dip this baby in raspberry jam with french fries on the side.

Okay, now take a deep breath and let that all sink in. If you think I just described something that breaks the laws of physics you may be correct. Readers, this was like finding the holy grail of food. To think that something like this can exist in the world, and only finding out about it now. All those wasted years!

I feel like I need to spread the word of Monte Cristo to all the land. So of course I'm posting it to my blog where everybody in the world gets their daily Taylor fix (about 0.000000001% apparently).

After having a food-gy in my mouth I ate about two pounds of salad to prevent a full body overload from this behemoth.

If you consider yourself very brave you may look at this treasure below, but be warned...melting face may follow.

Avatar crap

2010-01-10T20:42:00.006+09:00

Well I broke down and wanted to find out if I could make myself look like one of those aliens (Na'vi) in Avatar. I don't really like how pretentious this makes me look, and I'm not a huge Avatar fan but here is the result. Bring on the insults.

Other peoples pain is your pleasure

2010-01-10T13:58:00.003+09:00

Because we all need a laugh.

Seasons

2010-01-10T13:41:00.007+09:00

This is a composite of the seasons at one location in Nowon-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

Winter Summer Thailand Extravaganza

2009-12-31T00:49:00.045+09:00

On the way I went from freezing in a sweater in Seoul to sweating in a T-shirt in Bangkok. It was a hell of a shock to my system. It made me forget what season it is...holiday season. On the way to my hostel I saw tropical landscapes and past many random scraggly dogs in the streets. It reminded me a little of Mexico.

After a brief stay outside Bangkok I traveled by plane to Chiang Mai (a city in northern Thailand) which is significantly cooler in temperatures. I spent most of the day booking a trek, wondering around, checking out the day market, night bazaar, street vendors, and becoming much better on how to haggle successfully (start with peanuts and walk away).

In the morning I started a two day one night trek around a mountainous area north of Chiang Mai by a guide who happens to still live with one of the tribes around that area. The tribes get commissions for letting us visit but it was still a more authentic experience than every other trek I had heard about. The group I went with consisted of two German guys, a couple from Holland, and two girls from America. It was a great mix of people who all [luckily for my benefit] spoke English.

We started the trek by traveling to a waterfall and viewing a geyser. Afterwords, we trekked for 9km (5.6 miles) to the first village. We learned our second dialect on how to say 'hello' ('omu-chopu') and 'thank you' (tae-blu) - the first being Thai. This was our guide's [Nu's] home village.

After many more kilometers we came across the next two villages. We had made plans to stay at the third village. They use "a-bu-ja" for "thank you", "hello", and "goodbye". It's a very useful word. We tried to bathe in the nearby river stream, but it was too cold. After that we settled in our hut area then ate dinner cooked by the villagers.

We spent the night in a hut with villagers in northern Thailand and singing songs by a fire. After spending the night we went elephant riding, bamboo rafting, and white water rafting. It was amazing. I felt like I had seen so many elephants in my life but you never really see them until you can get close enough to feel them. Their skin is leathery, hairy, and warm to the touch. They also seem to poop more frequently than birds. The bamboo rafting was a great way to see the forest area. Luckily, we only got stuck by the rapids once. During the "winter" months white water rafting is more like a human pinball game. Hitting rock after rock, however, it did end up being very fun, and Nu our guide has a great eye for composition. He took all the white water rafting pictures.

We were very tired by the end of the second day. I relaxed that night and in the morning I was very sore, so I got a Thai massage which was amazing. It's almost tempting to get one everyday over here.

Later I headed back to Bangkok where it instantly smelled more like a busy city. A bigger dirtier (in both ways) Chiang Mai came to mind. I had to worry about scammers a lot more, I was propositioned to see a ping pong show many times, and other things that I probably shouldn't type on this page. It made me feel dirty just walking the streets sometimes.

I spent my first day in Bangkok playing the role of tourist by checking out the local temples, palaces, canals and other touristy areas. They really love gold here.

The second day I went to see James Cameron's Avatar in IMAX 3D. Before I saw it I was told by a few people that it would "change my life"or "change the way I look at movies". Before the movie they pay homage to the king with a national-esque video and the national anthem. It was a little weird to be patriotic before watching a movie but they really do love their king here. First, I'll say that the IMAX 3D experience is currently the best way to see a movie. It was a spectacular use of todays technology. However, without the IMAX 3D experience it was just a good movie. I highly recommend it if you can see this movie in IMAX 3D, but without it I can only recommend that you see it at some time in the future. Aside from that, Cameron did a very good job inventing a new world and altering a pre-existing story line. [4/5 stars with IMAX HD. 3/5 stars without.]

My trip to Thailand has been a great vacation and I feel like I've had two summer vacations. However, I'm ready for the cold again. It's just not the holiday season without it.

Thank you Thailand for the interesting people I met along the way, the experiences, adventures, sketchy streets, a suit, cheap gifts, and great photos. I'd love to come back.

Link to Thailand photo album

360 Panoramas...click them for interactivity.

Christmas pictures

2009-12-21T21:10:00.001+09:00

Some Christmas-ee pictures here.

Seasons greetings from Taylor

2009-12-18T19:08:00.006+09:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I'm missing friends and family a lot about this time of year. If you guys are missing me too then here's a creepy little Christmas video to give you a lot of Taylor in one dose. Miss you guys.

Semi-random photo shooting

2009-12-13T17:38:00.003+09:00

Below are a few of my recent photos that I like. Enjoy.

Gwanghwamun long shutter 360 pano:

Can't...look...away.

2009-12-03T01:07:00.003+09:00

Okay, first off cats are not cute. Kittens, however, can be. This video is evidence of that. I watched this on repeat way too much. Maybe it'll cheer you up if you're feeling down.

Happy Thanksgiving/Pre-Christmas!

Parker and Victoria...in Korea

2009-12-01T14:16:00.020+09:00

PICASA ALBUM LOCATED HERE. Many photos were not taken by me. This is an accumulation of most of the pictures from Parker and Victoria's one week journey to South Korea.

Well, my lazy butt is finally sitting down and typing out the misadventures of Parker and Victoria in Korea. After we got back from the airport we decided to eat some Korean barbecue at a place right next to my apartment building (actually part of it). They seemed to enjoy it and we passed out shortly after I gave Parker a belated birthday present.

I was working this week so my time with them was severely limited. Really Parker and Victoria should be writing this thing because I was at work about 70% of the time. However, immediately after worked I had them wander around Seoul and subjected them to PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION...dun...dun..dun!!! It's cheap, semi-fast, and organized but it definitely drains on you with those damn florescent lights and cramped seating/standing. The heated seats on the subway are a plus though.

We started slow and went to the nearby downtown called Nowon only to find guys dressed up in Cheetah costumes passing out flyers, motorcycles galore, and a 4D Max Rider game that will send food that you just ate around organs you didn't know existed while a jester demon that speaks Korean shows you around a haunted race track. So yeah...the usual.

Afterwords, we went to the Cheon Gye Cheon which I have written about many times in the blog. We reached the end and posed at the great king Sejong statue which is also extremely close to the US embassy building (just in case the North pulls any funny business).

The next night (or so) we met up with one of P and V's friends named Josh who has been teaching here for about 8 months too. He's a pretty cool guy and I'm glad I got to meet him. We hung out in a place called Myeongdong which is a very big restaurant, shopping, and entertainment center. After we saw a guy transform a mound of honey into thousands of strands to make a dessert we found a Galbi resturant and decided to try it out.

Later Chris (a buddy of mine) ran into the 'ol Korean girls who need research participants for some crazy study. This one involved North Korean economic policy and whether we know about it or not. The answer to all questions was 'no'.

Then on this cold day some enormous ice cream came into the equation. Don't ask me how.

Thursday we ate at a Brazilian Churrascaria resturant in the ritzy part of Seoul called Apgujeong. It's an all you can eat Brazilian meat extravaganza that turned out to be damn good. It was ranked number one in Seoul. Luckily we stopped before pain set in and we were able to walk out.

During the weekend we went down to Suwon, a city just south of Seoul, which is where Josh lives. I met them all after work at a Kalbi restaurant which was pretty good. I had a lot of catching up to do when it came to drinking however. These guys had been drinking for hours before I got there. After a good visit, chatting with supposed mobsters, deaf men, mumbling, and picture taking we said out lengthy goodbyes and used sign language to escape to the next location - the batting cages. After looking at the pictures of myself I realized I really need to work on not looking crippled when I hold a bat. Otherwise, it was immense fun. Afterwords, we barely made it on the last train back to Seoul. Parker and Victoria left the next day back to America with fond memories (or lack there of) and a new high score on the iPod touch to beat. By the way ZooZooClub has a new champion. Mwahahahah! [inside joke...sorry everybody].

I'm not sure if they learned anything during their stay, but here are some things I learned from their visit. If you're an American you may:
- realize waffles are the best deal in town
- find that corn dogs are 3X as big and 4X as delicious
- find that Korean food may get tiresome
- believe Coffee Friends has the best Americano in Korea
- get hand warmers that have a picture of a fly licking poop in a slipper with a maggot (why not?)
- want to buy a heated floor system
- get a soju hangover

So that about covers it. I enjoyed every second I had with Parker and Victoria and I really thank them both for making the trip over here. Love you guys.

Leeum Museum of Art - Seoul

2009-11-18T15:45:00.009+09:00

I've been meaning to check out an art gallery for a long time in Korea. This week I was able to go see one of the best in traditional and modern art. In one of the traditional areas they had celadon pottery that was from the 9th to the 16th century from Korea's long lasting dynasties. Korean pottery is famous and is regarded as a national treasure.

Korean ceramic history begins with the oldest earthenware from around 8000 BC. Central to Korean success were the chambered climbing kilns that were used throughout the Joseon dynasty and exported abroad, especially to Japan by Korean kiln-makers where they were renamed as noborigama in the Karatsu area from the 17th century on. (Wikipedia)

Photography was of course banned, but I got some pictures of the public displays and even some of the famous architecture.

Leonids Meteor Shower

2009-11-18T03:23:00.002+09:00

A meteor shower was supposed to appear in the night sky over Asia on the early morning of Wednesday November 18th (15 hours ahead of Central Standard Time in America), but what I saw was a bunch of bupkis.

This year's Leonid meteor shower peaks on Tuesday, Nov. 17th. If forecasters are correct, the shower should produce a mild but pretty sprinkling of meteors over North America followed by a more intense outburst over Asia. The phase of the Moon will be new, setting the stage for what could be one of the best Leonid showers in years. "We're predicting 20 to 30 meteors per hour over the Americas, and as many as 200 to 300 per hour over Asia," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office

The sky was clear and even though I'm in Seoul (see: light pollution) we were supposed to see them. It is very possible that they were moving so damn slow that I couldn't tell. However, I still got a few good pictures from a nearby rooftop at 4am.

Drawing Show

2009-11-17T23:33:00.018+09:00

This weekend I went to see a [practically] nonverbal visual performance in Seoul called the 'Drawing Show'. It is one of the open run theatrical shows here in South Korea.

The Drawing Show is housed in an intimate theater that seats perhaps 50 located in the bustling Daehangro district and is compelling from the opening act. Four artists/actors, three men and one woman, take you on a visual journey of sight and sound unlike anything you have experienced before. Watch incredible artwork created in moments before your very eyes take shape, morph and then disappear like ephemeral flora in fast motion. The three acts fly by in a whirl of color, animated actions and campy vignettes at a pace that never allows for contemplation of the passing time. (10 Magazine)

I have to admit that there was pretty much nothing bad to say about this show. It was amazing and used dozens of completley different art techniques (i.e. light sensitive material, chemicals, greases, and even fruit) in a creative way. I highly recommend everyone who can to see this show.

Sadly, pictures were strictly forbidden so I only got pictures after the show.

Bukhansan Addendum

2009-11-17T23:24:00.005+09:00

A Bukhansan 360 panorama.

Seoul Lantern Festival 2009

2009-11-15T12:03:00.009+09:00

This weekend there was a lantern festival by the Cheonggyecheon (river stream). It had all sorts of themes and color to it which would've been noticeable if it hadn't been so damn cold outside. You can see the pictures I froze myself for in Lantern Festival and Others Photo Album.

Below are a few of my favorites.

360 degree panorama

360 degree panorama

Swine Flu...is awesome.

2009-11-15T12:02:00.002+09:00

So the swine flu (potentially just the flu) has made so many students and even some of us teachers so sick that the school decided to shut down for a week so everyone can get better.

I'm very happy about this because I had some students with confirmed cases of swine flu from my class. I'm not sure if you guys have tried teaching while you are coughing, sneezing, gagging, and having to go to the bathroom every five minutes but it's not fun.

In the meantime I can catch up on some much needed sleep, photos, video, potential future plans, friends, and family. So thanks swine flu!

Pepero (빼빼로) Day!

2009-11-12T14:27:00.009+09:00

Pepero (빼빼로) is a cookie stick, dipped in chocolate syrup, manufactured by Lotte in South Korea since 1983.

It comes in 10 different delicious flavors including:

Nude (chocolate in the center)
Nude Lemon Cheese

Wow. What a great marketing scheme. I bet Coca-Cola wish they could've invented a day like this.

Pepero and held on November 11, since the date "11/11" resembles four sticks of Pepero.

Why not? I guess they should eat it at 11:11am and 11:11pm then too. Pepero (빼빼로) Day on Wikipedia

Jeonju Wedding

2009-11-09T00:17:00.017+09:00

So an odd thing happened this weekend. An American man and a Russian woman got married in Korea. Doesn't happen everyday and I was lucky enough to see it...well, the after party at least. I had to work on Saturday (first time) and couldn't make it to the actual ceremony which made me a sad panda (sorry Vaughn - I stole it). I still had fun and enjoyed the bountiful hors d'veoves they had from Costco in Seoul.

Jeonju Wedding pictures

Anywho, I went to college with the groom and we've been seeing each other a lot recently. I couldn't be happier for him and if he's reading this than CONGRATULATIONS again Vince.

After the party I crashed at a love motel for 20,000 won (about 17 dollars). In the morning I went to a famous bibimbop joint close to where I was. The presentation was amazing. It looked and tasted delicious, but I can't really say it's the best bibimbop I've ever had. I've tried so many kinds here...mountain bibimbop in Saraksan, fast food bibimbop (which is sweeter), and dozens of Ajuma owned restaurants. However, Jeonju is the birthplace of this dish and it was pretty damn good.

Bukhansan

2009-11-09T00:17:00.014+09:00

Last week I went to Bukhansan (Bukhan mountain) with some colleagues from work to check out the leaves and enjoy the last days of fall. It was a great climb and a fun day trip. I got a few pictures I thought could be publish-able in a few magazines here, but I'm not holding my breath. Check out the pictures in Bukhansan Just Nature and Bukhansan General Pictures and tell me what you guys think. Some of my favorites are below.

Halloween

2009-11-09T00:01:00.009+09:00

To start off this Halloween recap I'd like to explain a scary urban ledgend called FAN DEATH (fan death on wikpedia).

Fan death is a South Korean urban legend which states that an electric fan, if left running overnight in a closed room, can cause the death of those inside (by suffocation, poisoning, or hypothermia). Fans manufactured and sold in Korea are equipped with a timer switch that turns them off after a set number of minutes, which users are frequently urged to set when going to sleep with a fan on. (Wikipedia)

Scary, huh? Well, seeing how I've had friends who can't sleep without a fan on all night this doesn't scare me too much. But it does have potential to be a movie. I've already made the poster:

Anyway, Halloween at our Hagwon was pretty fun. After the festivities we walked around the block with the kids. No one died.

I dressed up as a conflicted individual with a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. I made it completely out of office supplies, and it won 3rd place at a costume contest in Nowon. Check out the Halloween and such photo album for more.

Everland Addendum

2009-11-08T23:58:00.002+09:00

This is a scanned version of the photo taken by the amusement park company usually sold to you right after the ride. Guess who saw the camera.

Pusan International Film Fest (PIFF)

2009-10-14T21:15:00.003+09:00

Last weekend I went down to Pusan, a city in South South Korea, to check out a film festival with some friends. It was pretty fun. We got to see the beach, the city, eat fresh raw fish, pet a dog, shoot fireworks, see the sketchy streets laced with women from Russia, and [drum roll] one film.

Yep, just one. Most of the people in Busan were there for the party and not so much for the films. However, most of the films were sold out before we got there, so my friends opted for the nightlife. And good thing we missed the train on the way back because that was the only reason we saw the film.

The film was called 'Anita' from Argentine. It was about a girl with down syndrome who has to cope with being lost during a bombing. Not knowing the details about where she lives or even her mom's name leaves the people that she meets at odds about what to do with her. Anita has an interesting impact on their lives while everybody else thought she had died in the bombing. It was a pretty good film and I'd recommend it if it comes to an art theater in your neighborhood.

Everland

2009-10-04T17:00:00.005+09:00

During this Chuseok weekend some friends, colleagues, and myself went to an amusement park called Everland.

Nothing like grown adults attending a children's park and acting more like a kid then the kids do. Compared to what I've been on in the past the rides were a little dull, but overall it was a very fun experience. When you go with other crazy people it just works out that way. Here's some pics and video.

YouTube's Greatest Hits In Under 4 Minutes

2009-10-04T16:56:00.002+09:00

Don't spend hundreds of hours watching YouTube clips?

Fell like there is something missing in your life?

Has the tedium of you job got you down?

Well, you're in luck partner. We've got YouTube's Greatest Hits In Under 4 Minutes right here.

Happy Chuseok

2009-10-04T14:31:00.004+09:00

During our Kindergarten Brighton held a Chuseok event on Thursday. If you don't know, Chuseok is Korea's Thanksgiving Day but with some tweaks. You can find much more detailed information about it here and here.

Anyway, I brought my small camera that I recently purchased to school and snapped a few shots of these crazies. Enjoy.

Whoops...hello post processing!

2009-09-27T19:10:00.005+09:00

So yeah, I uh...hmm...so I forgot I could alter photos on the computer. Now without my camera I've had time to start editing photos to make them not so...well, sucky. Here's a few examples. I started with Japan. Korea is next.

Zombie Korea Survival Guide

2009-09-10T22:51:00.012+09:00

Things to know about Korea (no disrespect):

Everyone wears English T-shirts
Cars first people second
Bikers are crazy, cars are crazier, and bus drivers are the craziest of them all
It’s very cheap to eat out
Kim chi will come with every meal (whether you want it or not)
The barbecue is always delicious
K-pop...love it or die.
Some people love foreigners and some people hate foreigners
The public transportation is great
Don’t forget to look up if your looking for someplace
Asia gives a new meaning to the word ‘crowded’
Old men (agashi) and old ladies (ajuma) will stare at you
The more you slur in Korean the better
After you know most of this short guide you will have almost no troubles communicating in Korean (if you're a tourist) when you combine it with body motions.

KOREAN ALPHABET (HANGUL):
You can learn this in two hours...so no excuses (and don’t mind the keyboard setup).

GREETINGS:

ne _____________________________ Yes

an-ni-o __________________________ No
an nyong ha sye yo? _________________ Hello, How are you?
an nyong hi - ka sye yo _______________ Good Bye
kam sa ham ni da ___________________ Thank you

NUMBERS:

Universal ______ Chinese-Korean _______ Pure Korean
1 _________________ il _______________ hana
2 _________________ i _______________ dul
3 _________________ sam _____________ set
4 _________________ sa ______________ net
5 _________________ oh ______________ ta-sot
6 _________________ yuk _____________ yo-sot
7 _________________ chil _____________ il-gop
8 _________________ pal _____________ yo-dol
9 _________________ ku ______________ a-hop
10 ________________ ship _____________ yul
100 _______________ baek _____________ baek
1,000 ______________ cheon ____________ cheon
10,000 _____________ man _____________ man

money => Won
ex. 10,000₩ => man won 1,000₩ => cheon won
exchange: 1,000₩ = $1 (approximately 1,223₩ = $1 as of 9/10/09)

Korea has 2 number systems:
1. Chinese-Korean for money
2. Pure Korean for counting objects and things

OTHER IMPORTANT PHRASES:
(______) juseyo _______________ please/give me (____)
hwa-jang-shil uh-dee-isso-yo? _____ where is the bathroom?
ba-shi-sa-yo ___________________ delicious
all-eye-oh ____________________ I understand
mol-eye-oh ___________________ I don’t understand
yogi (like the bear) ______________ here/there
kwen-chan-a-yo ________________ it’s okay. it’s fine.
yogi kwen-chan-a-yo _____________ here/there is okay (for taxis)
ol-my-ye-yo ___________________ how much?

Now before people start correcting a letter here and there let me just say the the Romanization of Korean called 'Konglish' is not perfect. I simply wrote it down as it sounds which can be a little biased to my own ear. I also made it as simple as I could.

Otherwise, I hope this guide gives some people a good start on learning Korean or at least the tools to survive it.*

*(big wink to P and V)

Yeoju

2009-09-06T14:37:00.006+09:00

I went to Yeoju to visit a KU friend who came back for a second year. It took about two hours (start to finish) to get there. Upon arrival I was surprised how nice his place was in comparison to places in Seoul. It was about three times bigger and approximately 30 years newer than my place. However, I do like my new place - don't get me wrong. It's just...well, I'd lend you this Leprechaun I found by the Cheongyecheon for a place like that. And yes, Irish Leprechauns can live in Korea.

Anyway, we went wakeboarding the next morning. I was happy to find out that I didn't forget how to ride. The water was really choppy though, but it was great fun.

After that we headed for the tomb of the great king Sejong.

The next weekend they came up to Seoul and we went to an all you can drink pub which makes their own beer. After a sever buzz we headed for CHIFFS (Chungmuro International Film Festival in Seoul), but it really looked like KC CHIEFS to Vince and I - even the font. We saw a movie called 'Bringing Up Girls in Bohemia' which was a Czech Republic film (Jerry would be proud) and it was pretty good.

Then we headed for Seoul tower to catch the light show. Kind of lame. Check out much more pictures at Korea Photo Album 3 (towards the bottom).

Down by Jongno-sam (3) ga

2009-09-06T14:08:00.003+09:00

After handing my precious baby camera over to a repair shop in Jongno some friends and I headed toward the Cheongyecheon. Here are some pictures. Again more at Korea Photo Album 3.

More old stuff

2009-09-06T13:17:00.005+09:00

Our elementary gave a presentation and our kindergarten had a garage sale event at Brighton a while back. Both were rather enjoyable experiences. Here's some stuff from those two events. If you go to Korea Photo Album 3 you will notice that at the Garage Sale I'm either talking or mouth breathing in every photo with me in it...[sigh].

Oldies but goodies

2009-09-06T11:52:00.009+09:00

Due to myself being sick with a lack of camera I've opted to giving you the best stuff I've seen on the old interweb recently (mostly from Geekology). Here is proof that Taylor slacks off...

FAIL: Pakistan college student can't figure out an automatic door. I like his solution.

Where the Wild Things Are...come out already!

Childhood fears as photographs

Not so fairy tale endings as photographs

FILM: 100 years of special effects in 5 minutes

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Woman drags child through a Verizon store

2,700 HP Jet Truck

Just awesome

art student got arrested for this

I would wear that costume every day.
Explaining the big bang in 2:20

Seoul Adventure (Banpo Bridge and closed temples)

2009-08-16T21:04:00.004+09:00

So knowing that I would give up the camera for a while to get fixed I went out to get some good pictures (even it that meant pressing the shutter 1000 times to get one on the memory card)

Last Saturday night I went to Banpo bridge to check out the water/rainbow show that's going on for another few months.

Later Ashley, a fellow teacher, and I met a friendly Korean dude. We convinced him to take us to a good mandu place (dumplings, pot stickers, dim sum, whatever you want to call them). I can't tell you how many times I've meet random people on the street. This weekend alone I got four random people's numbers just from saying 'hi'.

Then on Sunday I went to two temples which were both closed by the time I got there. What can I say? I'm a late sleeper on the weekends. Family and friends can vouch for that. Anywho, I still got to check out the entrance areas. Here's a pic:

Click the link below if you want to see a new photo album packed full of pictures that may save your life someday. Who knows?

Korea - Photo album 3