Thanksgiving in early October...

Happy Thanksgiving! The holiday of Chuseok, the Korean Thanksgiving is currently being celebrated here in Seoul. Instead of celebrating a vicious takeover of a native culture like we do in America, these people celebrate the fruitfulness of the harvest or the lives of their ancestors or something like that. I can't be too sure because the majority of my conversations with the locals include the English words coffee, beer, chicken, fried, Yes I am American but I think George Bush is bad and thank you. You can combine these words a whole bunch of different ways to create your own conversations at home. Go ahead, try it yourself; the possibilities are literally endless. It's kind of like those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books we all used to read as kids.

I actually did have a great conversation late at night in a bar with some Korean college kids the other night. We were talking about America and how awesome it was and they were asking me about Bush. I told them, "in my country we have a word for Premier Bush: Cocksucker." I laughed but the joke was lost on them, so I pointed to my crotch and said "cock" and then gyrated my head back and forth and said "sucker." This got a good laugh and some thumbs up and convinced them that although I may look like it, I am not the imperialistic pig they thought I was. This whole experience has been one huge game of charades so far. My Korean is limited to say the least and most Korean people's English is limited as well, so I find that a few gestures and points can go a long way. All I'm saying is never challenge me to a game of charades after this because it has become my main way of communicating in this strange land.

In all seriousness, for obvious reasons, I have found communication to be the most difficult aspect of adapting to this culture. Those of you that know me know that I like to talk. Most of my former teachers would say that I talk too much. I use my words to get out of awkward situations and meet new people. I have had many awkward situations and opportunities to meet new people that have passed because I can't use my words. It is quite frustrating at times and I am forced to find new means. So far I haven't been too successful at finding these means (other than charades), but I am working on it. It is weird being in a subway car full of coversations and laughter and not understanding a word. This awkwardness came at me as I was introduced at a speech contest held at my school a few weekends ago. I had a room full of curious Korean parents staring at me as my boss rambled on about me in Korean as she introduced all of the foreigb teachers. I didn't understand a single word other than "Kyleteacher," but I didn't get fired and none of the parents pulled their kids out of my classes, so I guess she had nice things to say.

Well, I've just about been in Seoul for a month now. I love the job I'm doing and I am doing my best to not look too foreign. I plan on ranting and raving on this blog whenever I feel like I have good stories or frustrating encounters. It should get much more interesting once I get a digital camera, but for now it's nice to use my words to get across a message to people that may actually understand it.

I'll be in touch

Love from Seoul