Stuck in Korea

So Monday was the Kindergarten graduation ceremony. Everything in Korea seems to have a big graduation ceremony at the end. Kindergarten, every single year of school, successful consumption of a picnic etc. They really are obsessed about it.

Anyhow we had to get the children to perform a few skits, songs, plays etc. All in English of course, so the parents can get a glimpse of what they've been paying for. After all, it's not as if the nippers voluntarily speak English outside of the school, so it's one of the few opportunities they have to see their kids in anglophonic action. This being the showpiece of the school year and a big promotional opportunity, the vast majority of schools tend to put in a huge amount of effort and preparation into this potentially make-or-break event.

We had two weeks notice.

With sweeping changes made with a week to go.

Everyone was left completely bemused as to why the kids looked like they weren't ready. It was almost as if they hadn't had enough practice or something...

And so it was yesterday that we all prepared for this ceremony with heavy hearts, acutely aware of the disaster that was about to ensue. Also we were aware of the fact that we teachers were probably going to get it in the neck for not being able to produce a polished performance at such short notice, or paint the sun green for that matter (such is the nature of the unrealistic demands made here - no-one says no to the boss in this culture, no matter how detached from reality he or she is). What could possibly avert the impending catastrophe?

Step forward the attention defecit kid to save the day. Lo and behold, he breaks ranks during a routine and proceeds to get his dick out and loudly point out the fact to the audience saying something along the lines of "Look at me Mummy, I've got my willy out!"

No-one, including the boss, remembers anything else about the ceremony. Which is definitely for the best).

We were saved by a four-year-old idiot waggling his knob about on stage!

Funny old world, eh?

The kid's going to die a slow and horrible death, by the way.

Miss me?

I thought as much.

So here I remain in Sokcho, plodding away. The days are tiresome, the nights drowning in soju. In answer to your question, Zane, soju hangovers are random and have bugger all to do with how much you drink. 3 bottles causes memory loss though. To the uninitiated, soju has a completely different effect on you from other booze. You can have whole chunks of your previous evening's partying missing but still conduct yourself pretty reasonably (this obviously is less true if you drink more or mix it), merely appearing slightly merry to the untrained eye. If your memory is blanked due to soju consumption, you can safely assume you went to a karaoke bar and then went and ate some kamjatang (spicy pork and potato soup - yummy) before going home in a reasonably civilised manner. Any bizarre new Korean contacts mysteriously added to your mobile can be attributed to one's stumbling attempts to communicate with random Koreans while under the influence of soju. Great stuff if you get used to it.

I hope that answers your question Zane. I have been very inquisitive about it on your behalf.

A quick note about work. My students are getting dumber. My new kindergarten class has a child in genuine need of ritalin (he's currently immune to education and/or discipline) and a 5 year old who wears a bib all day because of his constant uncontrollable drooling. They say a bad artist blames his materials, but really, people are actually expecting these two to be speaking English in a few months. I'll post up photos at a later date. Another class I have is even younger. Incapable of going to the toilet unsupervised as they have trouble with buttons (and even velcro). That's provided they remember to tell you they need to go. Waaaaaaaaay beyond my job description. I want toilet-trained students. If they're not housebroken, I don't want to teach them.

Not doing it.

No way Pedro.

Good thing the Korean teachers take care of it. Maybe that doesn't make me a "New Man" but they're not my kids, so wiping, zipping, and changing soiled clothes are not my job. Didn't sign up for that.

Hi, my name is Stuart.

I read over my blog and didn't find it particularly inquisitive. And people who have a blog website called pennystockinvestment and have a name which involves a dozen digits probably didn't read my blog, let alone find it inquisitive. Although they might offer you shady investment tips at their site.

My inquisitive blog doesn't offer penny stock investment tips.

And my inquisitive blog isn't about an inquisitive park ranger.

But it does involve soju. My blog is very inquisitive about soju. I intend to go and enquire more right now.

I will post a more inquisitive update later.