This was supposed to be for last Sun., but it wouldn't let it wouldn't post for some reason.

With a sigh and humph, what short of a weekend we got (only Sat night and Sun.) is over. After teaching Mon. through Sat., a bunch of us headed out last night for a bit of relaxation. Me being the newby that I am, I just kinda sauntered along behind Hilton and Kat, 2 Aussie teachers from my building, as we headed to Itewan for some supper and to meet others. Now, up until then, all I'd really seen of Seoul was from a car and while looking outside my classroom. Mind you, things looked nice, but still pretty unknown. Buildings with what appear to be cryptic messages abound and lots and lots of non-English speakers seem to be everwhere. It can be a bit daunting, even though the people seem fairly nice and pretty reserved. So....back to the story. Itewan...I had been told it was where the foreigners hang out. After a short subway ride we stepped out into the cold street again and I my jaw grew a bit more slack with each white person that I saw. It was like stepping into New York City. For every Korean I saw, there where 2 more foreigners easily at hand. I just kinda spun around as I was walking trying to understand what had just happened. It was like taking a wrong turn and ending up back in for the most part "white folk land", if you'll permit me to be a bit un-pc about things. So...we went to a bar that was just like from home and I got what amounted to a Fri. fish fry meal. Dad, you would have been proud. Nothing but greasy fish and fries with my meal. Oh....and a tall pitcher of Miller on the side. It was pretty good though as I settled in and munched away. As the night wore on, more and more teachers from different English Friends schools showed up. I'm not worried about not meeting people anymore, for sure. It was a good night, but I found the more I drank, the more I began to wonder why we were all on the other side of the world in a bar just like home. Maybe that was just it.....it was just like home. The longer I live abroad, the more I've come to realize...I think I'm one of the few people who's just as comfortable most of the time with people unlike me as like me. I don't mind the different food. I don't mind listening to something that's not English. Ok...not entirely true....I always want to understand, but that's just the language person in me coming out. But with respect to Asian differences specifically, I've had the last two years to get used to all the rice and I'm happy as hell that at least they have vegetable dishes here without meat already in them. I have my moments where spaghetti and parmesan and anything English call my name....but I think for the most part I'm ok. I left the bar that night wondering if this is what it would always be like. Speaking English in class and then hanging out with English speakers. What about learning more than just surface culture about the Koreans? I'm trying not to be the jaded Ex-Peace Corps volunteer that thinks anything short of complete immersion doesn't count. I really am. Give it time. Wait and see. Let things play out a little more. That's what I keep trying to focus on. Hopefully in time more will come.