A Man Nowhere

New Blog Site

2010-01-12T03:18:00.000-08:00

My blog has moved to www.teachingexpat.com
Please update your bookmarks and I hope you continue to follow along with my journey from there. You can also subscribe to the RSS or Email feed there.

Thanks
Eric

New Website

2010-01-06T07:25:00.000-08:00

I will be fine tuning the site for awhile but my new site is up and running. So check it out at Teaching Expat.

And if you like what you see, be sure to subscribe to either the RSS feed or via email.

Thanks
E

New Years Weekend

2010-01-06T03:51:00.000-08:00

New Years weekend was a busy one for me. I took it easy on New Year's Eve, then hit the road for a few day trips over the weekend.

Friday a couple other teachers and I took off for a day trip to Seoul. I had been wanting some new shoes, and since I wear a size larger than most, it is very difficult to find shoes for me in Korea. Seoul has an area that carries larger sizes in Itaewon. So we set off on the KTX train on Friday morning. The KTX is the high speed train in Korea. This was my first trip via train, and I have to say I love it. The seats were comfy and roomy. The trains left on time, and it was such a smooth ride the entire way. It took just under 2 hours to travel from Daegu to Seoul, and the cost was around $75 roundtrip. The train goes up to 300 km/hr (which is around 185+ mph for everyone in North America). It was simply a great way to travel.

After arriving in Seoul we headed off toward Itaewon for some quick shopping. Since we had only planned to be there for the day, I only got to see a small portion of the city. The first thing that comes to mind is the city is HUGE! Seoul has just under 10.5 million people (this is the city proper) which puts it 8th in the world, but the metropolitan area is the 2nd largest in the world behind Tokyo with just over 20.5 million people. It was overwhelming to say the least, and I only got to see a small section. Itaewon is a popular foreigner hangout so everywhere we walked we saw foreigners which was strange. We had breakfast (it was really an early lunch) at a great Irish Pub that our Scottish teacher we went with knew about. I wanted to try something new so I got a Toad in the Hole. It was amazing. It is sausages inside Yorkshire pudding over the top of mashed potatoes and gravy. It is not something I would normally eat, but I really enjoyed it. You can see a pic of it below.

After eating we headed out for some more shopping in Itaewon. I was able to pick up some much needed shoes (a pair of Merrels). It was pretty cold so I grabbed a scarf and we headed out looking for more goodies. I have only met one person who lived in Seoul prior to going. He used to work at the school I am at and he came down for Christmas. And wouldn't you know it, we ran into him when we were there. In such a big city it was very strange running into the only person I know who lives there. Anyway, after finishing up our little shopping spree, we headed off for another part of town Insadong. This was a really neat part of town. It was more or less just a street lined with shops. There was a lot of tea shops and other tradition Korean shops. We went looking for a specific tea house to grap a drink and try to warm up, but as fate would have it on this holiday weekend, it was packed. We went back a few times trying to find a seat but to no avail. So we decided to head back to Itaewon to decide on dinner. We had originally planned on going for Thai food, but we were still full from our early lunch so we decided to head back to Daegu and try to do dinner at Outback Steakhouse. We got back a little late for dinner at Outback (around 10ish) so we decided to hold off till the next day.

Saturday was a great day too. I headed to Haeinsa Temple with 3 other teachers. Haeinsa is one of the most important temples in Korea. Haeinsa is the home to Tripitaka Koreana, which is a complete composition of Buddhist scriptures carved into 81,258 wooden printing blocks. It is truely a national treasure here in Korea.

We got to the temple late in the day after the 70 min bus ride, but it was worth the wait. It was truely an amazing place. Hidden high up in the mountains, the temple has a very peaceful environment. It was raining lightly and the sun was going down so the mountains had a strange but beautiful hazy effect. The temple was built in 802, and no I didn't forget the 1 in front of that. The architecture and colors are simply stunning, and to think they built all of this up in the mountains far away from anyone is simply amazing. I was so overwhelmed with the beauty of the area that I didn't get to see everything. I missed out on the carved blocks because I was taking too many pictures and that part of the temple closed before I got to it. Of course, this just gives me a reason to go back and visit again.

So after a long but great day at the temple, we hopped back on the bus to Daegu and decided to hit up Outback. I haven't really eaten much beef since coming to Korea. The beef here just isn't the same as what I can get back home. I usually choose pork or chicken over beef everytime here because frankly the beef for the most part scares me here. Outback had beef from Australia and it wasn't too bad. I had a ribeye steak which for a ribeye back home would be a pretty bad steak, it was really good for Korea. Another reason why I don't eat beef here is that it is very expensive. My steak here, which was about 10oz, cost almost $30. Yes that's right $30. It definately filled the need for a beef fix, but it wasn't good enough for the price to go back very often. Believe me though, when you eat the amount of beef I was used to back home, you will do what you can to get your fix, and here it's Outback.

Anyway, after a long Saturday I took it pretty easy on Sunday. I didn't do much other than go check out a movie that night. We walked all of maybe 3 blocks to Dong-A, the big department store. They have a movie theater on the 8th floor, and a nice one at that. We went to see Sherlock Holmes, and I have to say I enjoyed it. What I enjoyed even more was the fact you could get carmel popcorn. I was so hungry I ate a whole tub of it, and it was good. I love carmel anything, but put it on popcorn and it's magic.

Well that was my long weekend after NYE. I have been giving a lot of thought to what I want to accomplish this year, being it is time for resolutions and all. So look for that in the next few days as I sort more things out. Now a few pics from my recent trips. Enjoy!

'Till next time,
E

These are only a few of the pictures I took. You can see more of the temple here.

That is me with the mountains behind me and part of the temple complex below me.

I don't know why I like this one so much. It just screams peaceful to me with the lack of color and the mountains in the distance.
While waiting for the bus we ventured into a nearby market only to find whole fried chichens.

And pigs heads. As we were taking pictures of them, the man inside the shop was giving us a thumbs up.

Seoul Station at night.

Snow Day!

2010-01-04T04:33:00.000-08:00

Well this weekend was really busy. From a New Years Eve, to a trip to Seoul, to a trip to a local temple I had a lot of fun. I am working on some posts about NYE and my long weekend, but first I wanted to share about the snow we had today.

This week started our winter intensives (we have extra classes in the mornings while the kids are off from public school). Now that is a topic for another day and one I will get into soon, but first the snow! I could hear the cars in the morning driving through something and I thought it had rained. I got up to take a peak out off of the balcony and to my surprise there was snow. This immediately lifted my spirits for a Monday. I love the snow. So I quickly got up and got ready to go out into the snow. I wanted to go take some pictures and simply play in the white greatness. I went looking for some kids hoping to find them in a snowball fight, but it was too early in the morning. So I took off to a park close by to take some pictures. There are a few of them below.

I love the snow. It's so peaceful and calming, and when everything is covered in white its amazing. We didn't get a great amount of snow, but it was enough to cover the ground. Later in the day I saw some young boys playing in the snow. One was trying to build a small snowman, while others were having a snowball fight. One of the great things about snow is it tends to bring out the inner kids in all of us.

Well that is all for now. I am working on a few posts about my weekend and what I hope to accomplish in the new year.

'Till then

2009 Is Coming to a Close

2009-12-30T07:50:00.001-08:00

Well 2009 is coming to a close very soon. I have mixed emotions on starting a new year. On one hand I am very excited. I am in a new exciting place and I love my job. I have always dreamed of traveling and teaching and at the moment I am doing both. This time last year I never would have guessed I would be teaching English in South Korea. So here is hoping 2010 continues as well as 2009 ended.

On the flip side, I miss my family and friends. However, with the greatness that is the internet and Skype I can keep up with everyone. I missed the birth of my niece which was a little hard to swallow, but I have been kept up to speed on everything. I can't wait to get back to the good ol' USofA to meet her. She is so amazingly cute, and that is just not me being the proud uncle that I am.

I am also sort of glad 2009 is coming to a close because it has been a hard year. So I am really looking forward to 2010 and getting the chance to start a new year fresh in a new place.

I hope everyone had a great New Year. I will be spending New Years Day on a little day trip up to Seoul. It will be my first time there, and I am really looking forward to it even if it is for just a few hours. I'll be sure to take some pictures and fill you in on my journey up north.

Happy New Year!
E

I want to leave you with one of my favorite toasts, even if it's a little long. I find these are powerful words that I have to keep going back to at times. I don't know who came up with it, but I heard it first in Jack Ingram song....

Here's to living everyday just like its your last.
Here's to loving just like your heart's never been broken.
Here's to always dancing just like nobody's watching.

Christmas in Korea

2009-12-26T23:23:00.000-08:00

I have spent Christmas away from my immediate family before, but those years I always had my ex's family to spend it with. So this was a new experience for me. I am thousands of miles away from home and spent my first Christmas with no family around. I wasn't sure how it would go, but surprisingly it went by quickly. I think what helped was not being bombarded by Christmas for weeks in advance. Many Koreans celebrate Christmas but not to the point that we do back home. You don't see Christmas lights, Santas, Reindeer, or hear Christmas music everywhere you go. It is more of a surprise when you do see something relating to Christmas. So Christmas came and went before I knew it.

Koreans spend Christmas a little different that we do. They tend to spend the time with their significant other rather than family. Many of my students planned to go to a PC Bang and play video games all day long. There was not much mentioned of traveling to see family, or having a huge special family meal. They spend Christmas with their significant other, and New Year's with their family, just the opposite of what we do back home.

The foreign teachers at work and I tried to keep in good holiday cheer. I think it was harder for others than it was for me. Most are away from home for the first time ever this time of year. I tried to keep in the holiday spirit by making some Christmas candy. With my limited resources here, no oven and not much in the utensil department, I went with chocolate covered pecans. Pecans themselves are not big here. I had been searching hoping to find the ingrediants to make pecan pie and finally found some at COSTCO. They turned out quite good, and I think everyone at work enjoyed them. It wasn't quite like having divinity or date balls, but it did the trick.

We had decided to do a secret Santa gift exchange to keep in the holiday spirit as well. It turned out to be a good night after work on Christmas Eve. I recieved a great gift that will have me laughing for a long time. First of all, I got a Christmas toilet seat. This is absolute genius and has to be the best secret santa gift I have ever gotten. To add to that, I got some chopstick trainers (see pics below). It is well known here that my chopstick skills are lacking and I can't wait to sport my purple dinosaur chopstick trainers out one day next week for lunch. All in all it was a great night.

Christmas came and went pretty quickly. I got up and talked to my parents in the morning, went to the gym for a short time because I knew I was going to pig out later in the day, then went to join my fellow workers for a nice meal downtown. We had a nice Western style Christmas dinner of turkey, dressing, and mashed potatoes. The only hang up I had was the menu called for pumpkin pie, which I had been craving since Thanksgiving. Pies in general are difficult to find around here, except for walnut which isn't too shabby. Instead of pumpkin they served apple. I am sure it was good but I was really looking forward to pumpkin. All in all I had a great time at lunch and enjoyed the atmosphere. I have to admit I missed my mom's cornbread dressing and all the other goodies that are made every year. It was a good experience being in a foreign country for Christmas however. I really enjoy being here and look forward to more adventures.

Christmas is Coming Soon

2009-12-22T06:16:00.000-08:00

Christmas is less than 3 days away, and it really doesn't seem like it. There are very little decorations here in Korea aside from the random Santa in a small shop or a few decorations at large department stores. I can picture all the lights and decorations around town back home. I saw pictues of BLORA on Facebook recently too. That brings back a lot of good memories. For those who don't know, BLORA is a drive through Christmas light display back home in Texas. It makes for a good night driving slowly through the park, looking at lights with family and friends, while listening to Christmas music on the radio.

On the flip side, it is cold here and I am not used to haveing a cold Christmas. We got a little snow on Sunday, but it melted when it hit the ground. There is nothing like a white Christmas, but you have to play the hand you are dealt. In my case that is enjoying a cold snowless Christmas. I feel for those dealing with the blizzard that hit the northeast in the US. Below are a few pictures I got from my aunt and uncles back yard just outside of DC. I miss the snow, but they got more than you can deal with at one time.

Even though I won't be able to be with my family on Christmas, I am looking forward to it. I am looking forward to the dinner that the foreign teachers are going to. The menu is a western style meal and it sounds fantastic. Add in the good company I will have as well, and it should make for a good day. I guess I'll have to get my Christmas light fix through all the photos I see on Facebook.

Till next time

Cowboys or Cowgirls??

2009-12-19T23:29:00.001-08:00

I can't seem to figure this team out. For the past 10 years or so, Dallas has laid egg after egg in December. This horrible streak they are on then continues into the playoffs where they haven't won a game in 13 years I think. So far they have lost 2 winable games in December and are in danger of missing the playoffs yet again because of a December swoon.

Then today happens, and they beat the best team in the NFC. An undefeated Saints team (who thought you would ever say that in December?) who have just destroyed opponent after opponent. I think everyone had written them off a few weeks ago in this game, but they showed they have a little heart. I didn't see the game, so I don't know how things played out. But winning in the Superdome over a team that 8 out of 10 times will probably beat you by double digits is something to get excited about. Or is it? Are they doing to let us down the last 2 weeks of the season vs. Philly and Washington? It is hard to say. From the looks of the box score the defense played great today. I still think this defense is good enough to get to the Super Bowl if the offense will allow them. Granted I am basing all of my thoughts off the box score, but it looked like we got back to playing football. Barber and Jones combined had over 100 yards rushing and it seems we have gotten away from the running game of late. Sure Romo threw for over 300 yards, but you still have to run to win. Maybe someone who saw game can chime in and tell me if I am off base.

I really hope this starts a winning streak and we get hot going into the playoffs. Then again I hope it doesn't save Phillips' job. We need new blood at head coach. I think the only way Wade is going to be back next year is if they get really hot and win a Super Bowl.

In other news, we got some snow in Daegu today. It wasn't much and it melted when it hit the ground, but it was snow. I don't think it snows much in the 'gu as I have heard it called. It has been very cold of late however. The past week we have seen highs in the 20's with no real change in site. I am excited about tonight. We are all going to celebrate one of the teacher's birthdays at an Indian restaurant. I had curry for the first time this week. It was really good but from what I hear it is nothing like I can get tonight.

Till next time. Stay warm.
E

P.S. I am trying something new out with this post. I am simply emailing a post. I hope it is as easy as it sounds.

Funny Sign

2009-12-16T18:49:00.000-08:00

I got this pic via email today, and thought it was great.

My Students Make Me Laugh

2009-12-15T16:45:00.001-08:00

So the other day in class my lower level kids were drawing Christmas pictures and coloring them when I noticed a new name on one of them. I walked up to her and asked if I had misspelled her name the whole time, knowing I hadn't. She started laughing and grabbed her eraser. Her name is Jenny but she had spelled it Jeeny on her paper. We both got a laugh out of it. I don't think they use their English name all that often so I won't give her too much slack. I just thought it was pretty funny.

E

A Nice Surprise

2009-12-15T06:31:00.000-08:00

I got a surprise in the mail today. My parents sent me a package, or a parcel as the Brits at work call it. I really wasn't expecting anything, and honestly it doesn't matter what is in it. Sometimes it's just nice to know that someone is thinking of you even though you might be half way around the world. Plus lately I keep seeing everyone else at work get things, so when I arrived and saw the big box on my desk I was excited. I did notice on the customs form they filled out that the small box was candy. That got me very excited because I know my mom would have sent me my favorite Christmas candy, the pepermint Christmas nougats. They are only available this time of year, and they are the best.

After lunch I was greeted with an even better surprise. There was a card on my desk when I returned. My first Christmas card in Korea. It was a nice card, with a very nice note from my parents in it, but the part that made my day was the picture of my new niece in it. She was born my first day of work in Korea so I have not got the chance to see her. That is one of the drawbacks of coming. At the very least I won't see her until she is 1 year old. I know that doesn't seem like a long time, but it is to me. I have some amazing nieces and nephews, and since I don't have kids it is important to me to have a good relationship with them. I see too many people overlook the importance of family like I did when I was younger. Now I seehow fortunate I am to have a very supportive and caring family. Not to mention my close friends, who I usually refer to as my Texas family.

I have come to realize over the past few years how important family and friends are. Without them, I don't know how I would have gotten through my divorce. Without all their support I wouldn't have been able to make this move work. Christmas will be the hardest time of year to be away from home. Thankfully with the advent of some great technology, namely Skype, I will be able to speak to my family on Christmas. Add to that the fact I have some other foreign teachers to keep me company, it should be a good day. It won't be the same as being with my family, but it should be good none-the-less.

So wherever you spend the holiday season this year, don't forget those who mean most to you wherever they are. But enjoy the company of those you will be with and try to remember the true spirit of the holiday. It is more than ribbons and bows.

Merry Christmas.

Pictures of my new niece Abigail Elizabeth.

Donghwasa Temple

2009-12-13T05:04:00.000-08:00

I love living in a big city. I love how I can catch a cab or bus within a block or so of my apartment and be anywhere in the city in a matter of minutes. It is a nice change from having to get in my car and drive to get anywhere back home. It does have its downsides though, mainly exhaust. The air here isn't exactly the cleanest so me and a few co-workers decided to get out of the city on Saturday for some clean crisp fresh mountain air.

Within a short distance (45+ mins by bus) is Mt. Palgongsan Natural Park. It's a nice big area with several tourists sites. The section we chose had both a very old temple and a cable car going up the mountain with great views. We started with the cable car, and it did not disappoint. The cable car took us about 900m above sea level and gave us a great view of the surrounding area. The weather was perfect too. It was just chilly enough to actually be enjoyable plus the sun was out. We took in the views of the surrounding town and hills and simply enjoyed breathing in some fresh mountain air. I do miss the mountains. I think I was spoiled the few years I spent in Denver. There is just nothing like breathing in cool mountain air. It refreshes the soul.

So after the cable car ride, we headed off to find Donghwasa Temple. The temple was built in 493 AD, and it was truely an amazing site to see. It is more than just one large temple where they worship, but more of a series of buildings. It was very peaceful there. Built back in the hills among the woods, the scenery was beautiful and peaceful. The architecture and colors used were simply amazing. Between the incense burning, to seeing people praying to Buddha, to watching a monk meditate I don't think I have ever been anywhere where I felt so at peace and enjoyed the quiet.

The temple was not the only attraction there however. Just a short walk away was teh Tongil-daebul Buddha Statue, which at 33m high and 16.5 m round is the largest in the world (according to our brochure). In the body of the statue are 2 pieces of Buddha's bones presented by the Myanmar government. It was completed in 1992 and was really a site to see. Surrounding the Buddha statue were various carvings, statues and pagodas.

It really opened my eyes to another culture, and I am very glad to have been there. It has also increased my desire to learn more about the Korean history and culture. I find it fascinating to see how others live, think, and pray. After the busy holiday season, a few of us from school might venture out for a temple stay. It sounds like a very interesting way to learn more about the Buddhist culture. You spend the night in a temple and have the chance to learn from them first hand about their religion, meditation, and other aspects of their culture.

Getting out of the city was a nice way to recharge with some fresh mountain air and learn a little something along the way. I can only hope to have more weekends like this in the future. Enjoy some of the photos below. There are many more on my flickr page.

The big Buddha statue

Longhorn Buddha?

There is a monk meditating in there. There were lots of people praying and meditating but I did not feel it was appropriate to capture that up close on film.

The communal drinking fountain.

What fun! A safety theme park.

View from up on top of the mountain.

Me up at the top of the mountain.

Seomun Market

2009-12-10T18:31:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I ventured down to Seomun Market here in Daegu. Seomun has over 4,000 shops and is the largest Korean market in Daegu and one of the 3 largest in Korea. The market has items ranging from traditional clothing, to shoes, socks, and newer clothes, to various types of vegetables and meats, to live and dead animals such as chickens and rabbits. It reminded me of the First Monday Trade Days in Canton, TX, except it had a lot more crap. Most, if not all, of what is there is useless crap, although I am betting some of the food there is fantastic. I walked around for a few hours on the cold Sunday morning. The market is both indoor and out, and is just a huge maze of shops.

I have to say I was a little disappointed in that I didn't find much to purchase, but I was not disappointed in what I got to see. You don't see a cage of live chickens with dead chickens on top ot it often back home. I was curious how receptive they would be to taking pictures, so I quickly and slyly took a few of some interesting things (see below). I am glad I got to experience the market, but I am not sure I have a good reason to go back unless for some reason I need a live or dead rabbit in the future.

40 by 40

2009-12-07T18:03:00.000-08:00

So I have been thinking about this for some time, and I have seen other similar things on other blogs/sites I read. I feel like I not really wasted my 20's but more so maybe that I didn't get all I could have out of it. Maybe that is part of the reason I am in South Korea now. I want to travel, see, and experience new things and cultures. I find living in South Korea fascinating. Add to that the conversations I have had so far with my fellow co-workers from the England, Canada, Scotland, and South Africa and I have a stronger urge to see and do more in my 30's. I wouldn't say I have a lot of regrets because I have lived a good life, I have great friends, and I couldn't ask for more when it comes to my family, but I feel there is more. So here is my take on my 40 by 40. Forty things I want to do before I turn 40 (just typing this makes me feel old), which is not that far off unfortunately.

1. See the Great Wall of China
2. See a World Baseball Classic game
3. See a World Series game
4. See 10 new MLB stadiums (can you tell I like baseball?)
5. Visit at least 5 of the 7 continents (3 to go)
6. Get a master's degree in History
7. Play a baseball game in a foreign country
8. Learn a foreign language (German perhaps)
9. Raise $10,000 for a charity
10. Volunteer at an orphanage
11. Ride the Trans-Siberian Rail
12. See the Pyramids
13. Visit the Grand Canyon
14. Go to Oktoberfest
15. Visit at least 10 new countries
16.. Eat a Kobe steak in Japan
17. See a baseball game in 5 foreign countries
18. Go to the Olympics
19. Go to the European Baseball Championships
20. See a football game at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium
21. Go to the Superbowl (at least join the festivities around the game)
22. Run a 5k Race
23. Volunteer at a soup kitchen
24. Get a small tattoo (ankle perhaps)
25. See a sunset in Key West
26. Throw out the 1st pitch at a baseball game
27. See a major college football bowl game
28. Go to the College World Series
29. Coach a baseball team in a foreign country for a game
30. Spend a week on a beach somewhere with no internet/TV/phone
31. Ride a motorcycle across the countryside of a foreign country
32. Visit Normandy
33. Visit a concentration camp
34. See the Northern Lights
35. Go to MLB spring training
36. Study Spanish in Central or South America
37. Take guitar lessons and be able to play at least 1 song
38. Visit Niagara Falls
39. Ice Skate at Rockefeller Center at Christmas time
40. See a basketball game in Madison Square Garden

So there it is. My 40 things I want to do before I turn 40. The clock is ticking so I better get cracking. If you have something similar, let me know. I would be interested in see what is on your to-do list.

In other news I have been tagged by Candice for the Tripbase Blog 3 best kept travel secrets. I will be posting my 3 secrets soon and will in turn tag a few other blogs. So look for that very soon.

Till next time,
E

A Korean Wedding

2009-12-05T15:05:00.001-08:00

So last night I had the opportunity to attend a Korean wedding. After talking to someone from work about what Korean weddings were like, I was very excited to be going. I mean what are the chances I have the chance to attend a Korean wedding again? So yesterday morning I set out downtown to do a little tie shopping. I don't know if I left my ties on accident or if they mysteriously disappeared during a bag inspection on my trip out here. I had gone to the department store nearest my apartment on Friday only to find the ties there ran around $80 US. I wasn't about to fork out that much money for a tie, so I headed downtown to search. I quickly found one to my liking for just a bit over $30 US, which was much easier to swallow. Now with tie in hand I was ready to go.

Now before I tell you about the wedding I attended, let me explain why I was so excited to be going. First of all, its a Korean wedding. Need I say more? Yes, okay I will. Earlier this week I was speaking to 2 of my co-workers who attended a wedding last year and to my surprise it sounded like a lot of fun. First of all, it sounded like a very nice ceremony. The bride and groom entered walking on an elevated walkway made of glass with flowers underneath. Now that sounds like an entrance! But what really caught my attention was what they said next. As the groom walked down the isle the theme from Star Wars played. Yes, you read that right, Star Wars. You know the greatest movie ever made, at least to my generation. I was so surprised I almost did not hear them talking about the strobe lights, smoke machines, and bubble machines that were also present. Now if that doesn't sound like a shindig worth attending, I don't know what does.

Okay so back to the wedding I went to. The reason I was invited, and I say "invited" loosely, was the bride was not only one of the school owner's daughters, but she worked in the middle school department of our branch previously and knew some of the teachers. In the end it was more of a requirement to go than an invitation. It started out as an invitation that myself and a few others jumped at. Then by about 10 to 10pm on Friday night (we get off at 10), it had gone from a its not required but we would like you to go, to a you must go scenario. I didn't mind as I was already planning on going.

So Saturday night we all met at work to take a taxi down to the Hotel Inter-Burgo, which is the only 5 Star hotel in Daegu. We arrived a little late and the ceremony was already going, which seemed to be okay. It was held in a large room in the hotel. I am guessing there were about 50-75 tables, maybe more, spread out in the large room filled with people. It was the largest wedding I had been to. Outside were even more people milling around during the ceremony, which seems to be normal here. We watched from the doorway and couldn't see much of the stage it was on, but never fear there were 4 large screens (see pic below) showing the proceedings on stage around the room.

It was a very elegant ceremony, but I am not sure if it was religious or not. The bride wore a Western style wedding dress, and the groom a tux. They were on an elevated stage that had a long isle running up to it lined with nice flower arrangements. It truly was a beautiful ceremony, even if I didn't understand a word they said. There was no Star Wars theme or anything like it. This wedding was a showcase, and they wanted everything to be top of the line which it was. Toward the end of the ceremony they did have smoke machines that started on stage and was actually quite nice. Then as the happy couple was walking down the isle as husband and wife, the bubble machines started in the ceiling.

There area lot of differences from what we are used to back home. There was no party afterwards. Everyone went to eat at the hotel buffet, which was amazing, but they also paid for it. Traditionally the guest pays for his/her own meal. They had tables set up where they collected money and gave the guest a meal voucher as they paid. The school paid for our meal, but I was told it is typically about 30,000 won or just under $30. Some other differences were that the bride and groom had already taken pictures together. Apparently long before the ceremony they go off somewhere and take their wedding photos, so there was a nice large portrait of the bride and groom as you entered the room. This means unlike back home the groom sees the bride in her dress before the ceremony. I think that almost robs the groom. That moment of seeing your future wife for the first time in her wedding dress as she is walking toward you might have been the best moment for me in my wedding. Again there was no reception afterwards. Everyone just ate and left, but all in all it was a very nice experience.

The buffet was amazing. They had everything there. It had sushi, sushi rolls, mandu (dumplings), salmon, crab legs, oysters, eel, octopus, all sorts of Korean and Chinese dishes, and so much more. It was an amazing spread. I filled up on all sorts of goodies and tried eel for the first time. They had snail as well but they must have run out before I could try it because when we went back looking for it, it was gone.

So all in all it was a great night. A very nice ceremony followed by good food and good company. You can't ask for much more.

A blurry pic of the walkway lined with flowers and candles.

The chandelier in the hotel.

The hotel Christmas tree.

An ice sculpture for the wedding.

You can see the bubbles coming down here.

More bubbles.

Tag You're It

2009-12-04T06:01:00.000-08:00

So I was tagged by Candice to be part of the Tripbase Blog Tag. The basis is for each person tagged to give up 3 Travel Secrets and ask 5 others to do the same. Then all of the travel secrets get compiled into a nice list. So let's begin!

1. Take time to people watch. I have the luxury to live in a foreign country, so I get to see how people live on a daily basis. However, for my first few weeks here I did not notice many things because I did not take the time to just look around. I found if just take some time to look around you can learn a lot. So my tip is to take a few minutes, grab a coffee, tea, or your beverage of choice, and find a place to sit and relax to just people watch. I have found a corner Starbucks at a busy intersection where I can watch people not only walk down the street but I can also see them crossing the street. I think you can learn a lot by simply watching how people cross the street. Do they wait for the light to go? Do they run or walk slowly? Do they drag their children behind them? Do they bump into each other, or do they show some courtesy? This does not even take into account how they drive where you are. So take some time, chill out, relax, and learn a little. Too many people over look the simple things while traveling, and through simple things much can be learned.

2. If you find yourself in Korea on a cold day, go have a bowl of Gamjatang. This traditional spine soup is a great winter time meal. It is made with pork spine, vegetables, onions, peppers, and other tasty treats. Not only is it a good meal but it will warm you up on a cold day. Now spine soup may not sound that great, but believe me it is very good. Plus, most likely, you will get the chance to experience eating in a traditional Korean restaurant by sitting on the floor. Just don't forget to take your shoes off at the door. So kick off your shoes, sit back, relax, and enjoy a great traditional Korean meal.

3. Eat the bugs. When you find the chance, don't hesitate to eat the strange things offered in a new country. You normally won't be able to find items like scorpions, silkworm, ants, crickets, or whatever the local fare might be. They are not trying to make you sick. So step up and try something new. It will be something you remember forever, but don't just stick to the "bugs". There are many other items to eat that you don't easily find at home. Things like eel, octopus, squid, dog (okay I can see a few having issues with this and that is fine), and other items that might be popular overseas and not so much at home. You may never be able to get the "full" experience by traveling, but by trying new foods it will surely add to it.

So there is my list. Be sure to check out the Tripbase Blog where all the tips from the blog tag will eventually make it to.

Tagging these bloggers:

1. Erika of Is Kimchi For Me?

2. Kirsty of Nerdy Nomad

3. Emily of A Wanderlust World

4. Cali of Lady Livingston's Adventure Notes

5. Danielle of My Rose Colored View of This World

Cheers!

People Watching

2009-12-02T17:39:00.000-08:00

I have been in South Korea for just over 4 weeks now and I still do not have internet in my apartment. It should be hooked up today, but I won't hold my breath. It really hasn't been that bad though. I actually enjoy getting out of the house to go to Starbucks. They have a 2 floor store and the bottom floor is small and usually not busy. The best part of where I am is that it sits on the corner of a busy intersection so I get to do a lot of people watching which is always entertaining. Two days ago I was sitting here reading my blogs and surfing the net when a young boy came in with his mother. To get upstairs to purchase something from Starbucks, everyone must walk up the stairs next to the tables I sit at. I turned around a short while after they both entered and notice the young boy on the bottom step just staring at me. I am getting used to the stares, but I still find it amusing. About an hour or so later as I was packing up I turned around to find the young boy back staring again. I think sometimes the stares come from amazement of the strange foreigners, but sometimes I get another feeling. The older crowd here will many times stare at you as you pass them on the street. And they follow you with their eyes, in what seems like anger but probably isn't, long after you have passed them. I think some want to speak to the foreigner but are afraid of saying something wrong or getting shot down by the foreigner. Saving face here in SK is a big deal. They do not want to get shown up and made to look like a fool so they look for ways to save face. That's just one more of the culture differences I have run into.

I am finally starting to get over my head cold so I hope to venture out this weekend to the downtown market. I hear there are some interesting things to see and purchase so I am really looking forward to that. I don't know when I'll get the chance as I might have to work a few hours on Saturday afternoon.

In other news one of my favorite online authors, who recently became an associate editor over at Matador, has a new blog. Candice from That's Tangly, who has a writing style of reckless abandon which makes for interesting reading, released her new blog of Candice Does the World to document the planning of her future RTW trip. So check it out and enjoy some good travel writing. I also gotta say thanks to Candice for the link to my blog on her new site. Also, if you are not familiar with it, check out Matador, one of the premier travel sites on the web.

Till next time,
E

P.S. I also wanted to add that I added to my list a few of my co-worker's blogs. So if you are interested in learning about life in SK for foreigners, these will give you a few other perspectives. Is Kimchi For Me? and Lady Livingston's Adventure Notes. Also check out Emily's blog A Wanderlust World (a fellow Texan) about teaching in SK

My view of the intersection from Starbucks.

The other side of the corner view from Starbucks. To the left are the stairs to go up to the main section of Starbucks. This is in the corner of the Dong-A Department Store building and those are coats and clothes they are selling just outside.

View of the Starbucks I frequent from across the street.

Interesting Question Posed

2009-11-30T18:51:00.000-08:00

So I had an interesting questioned posed to me on a forum I visit. I was asked how do I enjoy living in such a different culture? To me that was part of the draw of coming here to South Korea. There was more than 1 reason why I came, and you hear different ones from others when you first arrive. That seems to be one of the initial questions when you arrive. They range from couldn't find a job, to wanted to travel, to wanted to save money, to wanted to experience a different culture, and I think most people here are here because a combination of those reasons including me.

So let me get back to the initial question of how do I enjoy living in such a different culture? It's actually quite simple. If you are one who is afraid of change or scared of new ideas, don't come. I think I used to be this way when I was younger. Now I am very much open to new ways of thought. I find it very interesting how Koreans live their lives and go about their business. It's the little things that I find most fascinating. Take for example, last week I decided to grow a goatee. I do this from time to time back home mostly out of boredom. I was aware that most Korean men do not grow hair like they can back home, but I was unaware that growing facial hair here was seen as an insult to the Korean men. I was politely asked to shave by my head teacher, which I did. Had I known this I would have shaved to begin with. It's these little things that just fascinate me. This is just one example of many I have seen or heard about here. Learning these little details is part of the draw to being here. You learn some of the little things along the way which makes each day more interesting.

So yesterday was payday, and last night when I went to the ATM I found it interesting to find I had over 1 million in my account. Sure it is not American dollars but its still over a million in cash in my account. It is the little things like that that just make me smile and laugh a little.

That is all for now. I am working on a few things for some new posts that hopefully I'll have soon.

E

Korean Christmas Decorations at Local Department Store

2009-11-28T23:24:00.001-08:00

Not much happened today (Sunday) since it is raining out. I have basically spent the day at either KFC or Starbucks hijacking a better internet signal. Right now I am at Lotteria (like a McDonalds) sitting eating some spicy chicken strips and surfing the web. I took a tour of Dong-A, the big department store by my apartment, to look at the new Christmas decorations that have gone up. They are very different than anything you see back home. No reindeer or santas around in Dong-A (although you can see them around town in some places), but instead they have weird sheep and monkey looking little characters. Of course the coup de grace is the large Unicorn. I posted a few pictures below. All the pictures I took are on flickr.

Korean Christmas Decorastions. A sheep and what I think is a monkey.

The Christmas Unicorn.

Hopefully this week I will get over this head cold I have had. Monday is payday (wahooo) and I am going to join the gym this week. I met a few guys here that play baseball, and I would really like to get back into shape so I could go out and toss the ball around a bit when it warms up. Other than that I really need to find a few things to fill my days here. Any suggestions?

Have a great week.
E

I loved this sign in the food section of Dong-A. "Fish & Shellfishe" - It does smell a little "fishe" in there.

Thanksgiving Abroad

2009-11-28T01:45:00.000-08:00

So Thursday was Thanksgiving in America. The American teachers at my school tried to get by on having a few things that reminded us of home. A gracious teacher from upstairs in our middle school department made deviled eggs and brought them down. They were delicious. I tried for a few days to find a pie, but had little luck. I really wanted pecan, my favorite, but realized I had not seen a single pecan anywhere. With that hope dashed, I set my sites on a pumpkin pie. As it turns out pie is not a big deal here, making my quest that much harder. A few of us set out for Emart early on Thursday in hopes of finding one there, but to no avail. After searching my neighborhood thoroughly, I had to settle for a walnut pie. It wasn't pecan (or peekin as the Brits here pronounce it) but it was good none-the-less. The pie and the eggs helped a little in our efforts to remind ourselves of home and the big meals our families would soon partake in. I love Thanksgiving time at home. It is always a good day. Time for family, food, and football.

After work the American teachers plus one Brit went for dinner at a Korean BBQ place near work. Good food and good company always make for a great time. It wasn't quite home, but here half way around the world it would do. I have missed Thanksgivings before at home, but I have never missed a Christmas and I think if I am going to be homesick it will be then. We have plans already for a Western style meal somewhere that day, which will help a little, but not being with family will be hard on that day.

In other news, I am really enjoying my job so far. I started teaching on Tuesday and even though it has been less than a week, I really am enjoying it. The kids are great for the most part, and everyone at work is very helpful. I am really looking forward to a good year.

I have come down with something of late. A bug of sorts has been going around work, but I refuse to let it get me down. Tonight we are going out for a send off party for the teacher I am taking over for. It should be a good time and I am looking forward to getting out of the apartment for awhile. Nyquil has been my friend of late. Without it I am not sure I would have slept as good as I have the last few nights. Nothing else exciting has happened of late. I wanted to go hiking this weekend but do to my headcold I will postpone that for a week or so. I did find it interesting today when I went for a haircut. I walked in to the shop I was told about and tried to tell him I just wanted my neck shaved since my hair was still pretty short. But with Edward Scissorhands like speed, he was off to the races cutting away. It had to be the most thorough hair cut I have ever had. He cut then shampooed, then cut somemore. I felt like a sculpture. He would look closely at a section from a step away, then he was back cutting. He did an excellent job, and for only 8,000 won it was a great deal. To get them to cut and shampoo my hair like that back home is going to cost me $25 at the very least.

Well that is all for now.
E

P.S. It was a good football weekend. The Cowboys won and UT and Bama are both undefeated!

"Barocky Road"

2009-11-23T20:24:00.000-08:00

This was such a funny email that I am posting it everywhere I can.

In honor of the 44th President of the United States, Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream has introduced a new flavor: "Barocky Road." Barocky Road is a blend of half Vanilla, half Chocolate, and surrounded by Nuts and Flakes. The Vanilla portion of the mix is not openly advertised and usually denied as an ingredient. The Nuts and Flakes are all very bitter and hard to swallow. The cost is $100.00 per scoop. When purchased, it will be presented to you in a large beautiful cone, but then the Ice Cream is taken away and given to the person who can't afford it in line behind you. Thus you are left with an empty wallet, no change, holding an empty cone, with no hope of getting any Ice Cream...The socialistic dream come true.

Are you feeling stimulated yet?

Poem

2009-11-23T17:19:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I thought of this last night at work, but I did. It's an old poem that I remember from elementary school. I know it has several variations but this is the one I remember.

One bright day in the middle of the night,
Two dead men got up to fight.
Back to back they faced each other,
Drew their swords and shot each other.
A deaf policeman heard the noise,
And came to save those two dead boys.
If you don't believe this lie is true,
Ask the blind man, he saw it too.

I guess it just means you can't believe everything you read.

In other news, I am off to get a cell phone today. Rich from work gave me the card of a guy down near Camp Walker that should give me a deal, and he speaks English which is a huge plus. That's really all I have planned for today. I have already been up and out to the market to restock the shelves at home. If I get back in time from getting a cell phone, I need to go down and see about joining the gym.

E

A Good Weekend

2009-11-22T01:40:00.000-08:00

This was a good weekend but it sure went by quickly. Friday night a few of the guys from work went out for barbeque, which is just fantastic here. Saturday was a busy day. Another one of the teachers and I went downtown to wonder around and do some shopping. We hopped on the bus and took off. The bus to downtown is pretty cheap (1500 won I think it was one way) but it took us a good 20-25 mins to get there. It's worth it though in the beginning. It allows me to get to see some of the city as we head downtown. Once we got downtown we started wondering around. There are a lot of shops and its seems we walked by them all. We checked out a huge department store downtown and wound up finding a really nice little coffee shop on the top floor. We stopped for a drink before heading out to do some more shopping. We found a bookstore with a few shelves of books in English and both picked one up. I got 1984 by George Orwell, and cant' wait to start it right after I finish the one I am reading now, The Street Lawyer by John Grisham. We walked all over downtown, and at one point got off the beaten path so to speak. We found a few side streets where the "locals" would shop which turned out to be quite interesting. They had everything from Army surplus stores to electronics and little cafes. I was on the look out for funny signs, well funny to me anyway. Some of the store names are very basic and are humorous to the English speakers. Check out my flickr page for the group titled Downtown Daegu for the pics of the signs I saw. We both wound up picking up a few gifts to send home and called it a day after about 5 hours downtown.

I don't know the going rate, but smiles are on sale!

After a long day of walking and shopping, I came back home, grabbed a little gin mandu, and rested for an hour or so before heading out again. Rich, one of the other teachers on my floor was having a poker night at his place. So I headed over there to meet up with a bunch of the Foreign teachers. I met several teachers from the other Avalon branch who were from Scotland and Canada. Several of the guys played a game of poker while me and some other broke out the Scrabble. This has to be my worst board game of all time, and of course I would wind up last in both games. Neither game was much of a contest as the resident Scrabble pro from California Erika wiped the floor with us. It was a lot of fun though as we hung out and chatted into the early morning hours. It was a long day but a good one so I headed home to crash.

Sunday has been a little more laid back. I went downtown to Gorilla Burger for lunch after hearing how good it was. It was good for Korean beef but did not compare to what I was used to at home.

After heading back home from downtown, I decided to head up to the 15th floor of my building to take some photos of the neighborhood. I got some good ones too. I tried getting up on the roof so I could get the whole area and the sunset, but all the doors leading up there were locked, so I was relegated to taking photos from the 15th floor.

All in all it was a good weekend. I want to go hiking next weekend as I think the weather is going to warm up a bit. I also start teaching this week, so that should be fun. I know I'll have to fumble through my first few days but I am looking forward to it. Anyway that is all for now.

'Till next time,
E

Officially an Alien Now

2009-11-19T18:47:00.001-08:00

I have been here for just over 2 weeks now. I am starting to adjust to things, and so far I am really enjoying it here. Next week I start to teach classes, and I am excited about that. I am still observing at work for the next two days, but I did have the chance to do a demo on Weds night. The demo didn't go as good as I had hoped, but I was rather nervous and I rushed things. I am very confident that I can do it, and that I will enjoy it. I got a lot of good feedback from the other teachers who I did the demo for which was good. I don't get nervous in front of the kids but I was in front of the other teachers. I was so nervous I even forgot Phil's name when I went to call on him in the demo. I have some good people helping and teaching me how things work, so I am confident I will get substantially better quickly.

In other news, I am officially an alien now. I got my Alien Registration Card yesterday. Now I can work on getting things set up like a bank account, cell phone, and internet in my apartment. It's just one more step of getting settled here.

The weather has been very cold of late. The daytime highs range from around 40 to the high 40's. This weekend should be nice with a high close to 50. Leaving work at 10pm it's very cold out. I am enjoying though. I miss having seasons and I like the cold as long as its dry. When it is cold and wet it gets miserable. Hopefully it will nice a sunny this weekend. I think it will be a nice time for a hike somewhere. Daegu seems to be a good place for hiking with the hills around.

I am still getting the chance to eat some really good food. The other day we went for lunch at a place that just opened up. I had a seafood stirfry and it was great. The only thing about it was the random baby octopus in it along with the assorted octopus tentacle. I did not try the baby octopus, although I plan to try it one day. I started with the tentacles and found it was similar to a chewy shrimp. Perhaps next time I'll take the plunge and try the baby octopus.

That's all for now. I am going to try and take a hike this weekend, and perhaps make a trip downtown. I'll be sure to take my camera along and show off my new home for the next year.

Till then,
E

An Uncle Again and Finally Start Work

2009-11-13T22:58:00.000-08:00

So first of all is the big news of my niece being born on Wednesday. Abigail Elizabeth Bynum is the new addition to the family and I couldn't be more happier for my brother and his wife. I only wish I could have been there with everyone.

Well I started work this week. Wednesday was my first day and so far I am only observing and will be for another week before I start teaching. I think I am going to really enjoy working there. Everyone has been great so far, and the kids are a trip. I am still adjusting to the hours since I am still getting up way too early but hopefully that will change and I can get adjusted. It was nice to finally get to speak to some fellow English speakers after being here a week by myself. They also have introduced me to some really good food. Work usually starts off with lunch around 2:30 (I start work at 2pm) and the past 2 days they have taken me to some really good places. Thursday we went for Japanese food. I am still not sure what I was eating but it was really good. I know it had crab meat in it, along with rice and other goodies. It was good and spicey and very filling. It will definatley be a place to return to. That night after work many of us went for Korean BBQ. This was a treat. We ordered (I say we but really it was the other guys who did the ordering) some pork and beef and it was grilled on the table in front of us. Built into the table is a little grill where they bring hot coals and cook it in the middle of the table. The meat was fantastic but maybe even better was everything else that went with it. There was some red bean paste (very spicey and very good), along with some spicey kimchi, which seems to be a staple with every meal. Throw in some rice, bean sprouts, and other items that I am not sure what they were (but delicious none-the-less) and it was a huge meal. The best thing about it all is it's not that expensive. The Japanese place set me back about 5500 won which is $5 back home. There is no way you could get the quality of food back home for $5, not to mention the service.

Friday brought a new day and since it was raining most of us stayed in the building and went down stairs for some pasta. This is where I had the spiciest dish I have ever seen in my life (Al you would have loved it). It tasted great, but it was so hot I could not finish my dish. In fact, I ate very little of it. I figured if I eat the whole plate I will either pay for it later or just be sick all night long. So I opted to eat as much as I could without making myself miserable. A few of the ladies with me had a bite to try it and they could not believe how hot it was. Since I did not eat my entire meal, I was hungry later. So I decided to go with one of the girls from work on a little snack run. I had seen her eat this stuff before. It is like a little dumpling type thing. I still don't know what is in it but it was really good. I do not recall what it was called but if I remember right it was steamed and had some sort of meat (pork perhaps) in it with I believe some onion or something. It was really good and you got quite a few of them for only 2000 won which is really cheap. So in the past few days I have had some really good food, finally.

So that is really the update for the past few days. I don't really have any plans for the weekend. I want to go to a basketball game and thought they played at home tomorrow but it looks like I read the schedule wrong. So instead I might try and head downtown to see if I can catch some college football or something.

Till next time.
E

Trip Downtown and Health Check

2009-11-10T18:10:00.000-08:00

I have been lazy the past few days and not updated anything. It gets to be a pain to walk down to the internet cafe to do email, blog, etc.. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll have internet in my apartment which will make things easier.

So Sunday I decided I would go downtown to check it out. I set out looking for a restaurant that NET (I have learned this means Native English Teachers) hang out at. It's called the Holy Grill and many claim they have good Tex/Mex, even if it is run by Canucks. I didn't get to judge the food because I never found it. I made it downtown okay and was wondering around looking at all the shops and whatnot when it started to rain. After it started coming down a little too hard to walk in with no umbrella, I ducked into McDonalds for some lunch. I was curious how similar it was to what you get in the US, and found out it was very similar. I got a Big Mac and noticed no difference than that from the US. As I sat eating my lunch two guys sit down next to me and start talking to me. They are Korean and one knows a little English. He asks me the normal questions of where are you from, how long have you been here, etc... I can barely eat my lunch he is so inquizitive. After a short time it gets a little annoying and I move to make my escape.

The downtown area I went to was very nice. There were many shops of brands I reconize from the US as well as places like the golden arches, Burger King, and Bennigans. I didn't get time to look at too many of the shops with the rain but over all it was a good day.

Monday came and I awaited to see if I would do my medical check up that day. They told me Monday or Tuesday so I was unsure. Sure enough they come knocking on my door Monday to take me. I was taken to two seperate places. At one I did a blood and urine test. They check for things like AIDS and whatnot. At the other place they did a swab of my throat looking for the flu virus. They are very cautious of the swine flu here. Walking a few blocks you will see many people wearing the surgical masks out of fear of catching the flu. They seem to have done a good job controlling it however, but it is almost to panic levels it seems.

So I passed the health check and today is the end of my week long quarantine. I finally get to start work tonight which is exciting. I have only met 1 person I will be working with and that was very briefly on the street the other day. I still have not met any of the other foreign teachers, but that will come once I start work.

Well that is all for now. Till next time,
E

New Photos of Neighborhood

2009-11-06T18:55:00.000-08:00

I am still pretty tired from the previous 2 days, so this will be short and sweet today. Really all I have to update anyone on are some pics from my neighborhood. Check out the link to Flickr to the right of this post and see more of where I live. Oh and I did have some Korean BBQ last night. It was basically chicken (you order a whole or half chicken) that was breaded, fried, and covered in a sauce. I got the spicey and it was good, but I found it a little difficult to eat a chicken leg with chopsticks.

That's all for now. Not sure what I'll do today (it's only noon). I'll leave you with another one of my favorites.

...and now Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey

One thing kids like is to be tricked. For instance, I was going to take my little nephew to DisneyLand, but instead I drove him to an old burned-out warehouse. "Oh, no," I said, "DisneyLand burned down." He cried and cried, but I think that deep down he thought it was a pretty good joke. I started to drive over to the real DisneyLand, but it was getting pretty late.

Another Day - Another Adventure

2009-11-05T23:19:00.000-08:00

I am still trying to get my sleep schedule where it needs to be. This jet lag is still kicking my butt. I decided early this morning, and when I say early I mean 4am-ish, that I would try and venture down to the Emart in town. This is like a Walmart. I need things like an iron, hangers, etc...
Let the adventure begin....
I took a long look at the bus/subway system and figured out how to get there since it is a long way from where I am. The subway itself is about 3.5km away (that is 2.17479917 miles for all of you non kilometer knowing Americans - yes I had no idea either and figure only 2 people who read this will). So I set out on a really nice day to walk to the subway. It was a great day for a walk (60 degrees, sunny, light breeze). Little did I realize how hilly this city is. That 2+ miles was looooong. I stopped a way into the walk at a Crazy for Burger to get some lunch. Let me just say two things about Crazy for Burger. First, I am not crazy for their burgers. Second, I am not sure it was even real beef I was eating. On a side note, the french fries I have had here are really good. They are thin (like string fries) and not greasy at all. This brings me to side note numero dos (I figure if I can't speak Korean yet I can add in a little Spanish to make me feel somewhat bilingual). I am using the American Express slogan for Pepto Bismol now, never leave home without it.

And now back to the story....

It was a long walk but I have said I want to get out more, see the city, and losing a few pounds in the process would be nice. Along my walk I passed a Burger King and Popeyes Chicken. They are both on the bus route that runs by my apartment so if I need a taste of home I know where to go. So I made it to the subway station by following a bus route that I knew went there. Next time I'll just take the bus. Anyway, the subway was very nice. It is not very expansive but on the two lines it runs, its has plenty of stops. The cost was nice too. It only cost 1100 won one-way (or about .94c American or .9977 CAD for my lone Canadian reader - I hope I did that right) Anywho, it is a nice subway system they have and cheap for a one-way fare. After transfering and riding one of the lines almost to the very end, I reached Emart.

Emart is very similar to Walmart. They seem to have everything there. I was mainly in search of an iron, so I can look presentable next week when I start work. By the time I reached Emart, I was very tired so I didn't do as much shopping as I would have liked. I only picked up a cheap iron (and by cheap I mean about $15US or $16CAD). I hope it lasts me a year. I also picked up a little TV tray type table. The wooden type where the legs fold in. I have used them in the past before back home and they are very versitile. I wanted to pick up a few more things but was too tired to keep shopping. I did notice they have just about anything I would need. Fruit was very expensive. Bananas were about 4800 won for a batch of say 4-6. That is really high when back home they are what $1/lb? Anyway, I will be returning at some point so it is nice to know where it is.

The interesting part was the ride home. I waited for a cab (I was too tired to walk back to the subway carrying my newly aquired goods) and did not have to wait long to get one. Prior to leaving I had checked out Galbijim.com which has a lot of good info on SK (it has a really good wiki on Daegu here if you are interested in learning more about where I am) to get my barings and figure out what to tell the cab driver. Well the phrase I had written down did me little good. I was trying to tell him to take me to a large department store called Dong-A, which is right across the street from my apartment. Apparently they do things more by landmarks than by streets. The problem with this was there is more than one Dong-A. He had a cell phone and immediately called an interpretor to find out where to go. After a short while he calls again after realizing there is more than one Dong-A. The interpretor and I try and figure out which one I am going to and we are off again. I am getting to see a lot of the city which is nice but I have no idea where I am. A few minutes later, he calls again. He is still confused on where to take me and after a 3rd converstation with the interpretor we think we have it. He pulls a scary u-turn (it is common here for them to u-turn in the middle of the street at a red light). They are pretty crazy drivers here but not as bad as other places I think. A lot of honking goes on but not the lay on the horn honk that I would do back home when someone cuts me off. It is more of a short beep to let the other guy know you are either there or coming through. They are constantly changing lanes and driving in two and whatnot but not too hairy. So after a long round-about ride home, I finally make it and I am 17,000 won lighter (probably a 5-8k cost if he knows where I am going in the first place I am betting). It was another experience to say the least. I just knew I was going to get dropped off in some out of the way place nowhere near where I needed to be, but I got home safely.

So now it is about 4pm here as I sit in a huge room full of young Korean men playing computer games (they are REALLY into that sort of thing here). I have decided a few things today. First, no more KFC. I ate it again last night because I was too chicken to go try something new. It is intimidating ordering when you don't speak the language. If there is nothing to point to, it can be impossible I think. Secondly, no more Coca-Cola. I am making a commitment to eat better and try to lose weight, plus I need to experience new things. I used to be a stuck-in-the-mud never try anything new guy (some may think I still am) but I am learning. It seems after the divorce I have found myself open to new things. I mean who thought I would be in SK? So I have a place picked out I want to try. It seems it is some sort of Korean chicken place (the pics look like Chinese food type chicken dishes). I just hope it is open by the time I leave here. It was closed on my over as some of the local places only open late, but stay open very late. There is also a Korean BBQ place down the street I want to try. I hear the BBQ here is good (of course it will not be as good as say Whits or Clems or the greatness that is the Salt Lick) but I am excited to try it out.

I think tomorrow will be a slower day. My feet and legs hurt from all the walking, so I am going to take it easy I think. Do some laundry, iron maybe, and watch a movie. Just relax and try to get on a better sleep schedule. Hopefully I'll get out with my camera as well so I can show everyone my neighborhood and just how different it is than back home.

That's all for now. I will leave you with one of my favorite bits from SNL.

.....and now Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy

If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting themdown? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.

First day in SK

2009-11-04T16:43:00.000-08:00

My gansta roll of won. It felt nice walking around with 350,000+ in cash.

Well I am here. I am in my apartment (pics to come) and trying to settle in. I didn't get to see much yesterday. I got to Daegu about 11am and after being dropped off at my apartment, I went for a walk. I got some lunch at KFC (yeah I know stepping out on a limb there for my first mean in SK right?). It was surprisingly similar to the KFC in the US. Not sure why I was expecting something different. The one different thing was when I ordered it to go (and 1 of the 2 ladies working spoke a little English) they packed my small drink in a bag. Other than that it was just as good as back home. After that I took a shower and laid down. That shower felt so good since it had been a long time since my previous one, and all that travel time really didn't make me feel great. I intended to only take a hour or two nap and went to sleep around 3pm. I didn't awake till 3am. Oh how I needed that sleep. I didn't not sleep well on the plane at all and was exhausted by the time I got to Daegu.

So after a good nights sleep, I finally rolled out of bed around 4am to go grab a small bite to eat. Nearby there are a few 24 hour places (like a 7-11 which they do have here but I have not seen one nearby). I grabed a coke (still a little scared to try something new) and some sort of chocolate pastry which was very good. I sat around watching some English programing on the TV along with the replays of the Korean Baseball Championship which I believe just ended recently. I took another nap figureing I need to stay up much later tonight to get on a better schedule. I got up again around 8am and headed out for a walk around my neighborhood. This is where things got interesting.

I started out just walking down the main drag near me and before long I was lost. I knew the bus line that ran on the main street near me so I started looking for it. I walked for over an hour (felt I was lost for maybe 30+ mins) until I finally found that bus line again. I followed it down and found home again. Somewhere along the way I must have crossed it not knowing where I was. Most of the housing buildings look the same, except for the numbers (for instance I live in 301). It was a good walk though. I walked for over an hour and saw some interesting things. Next time I will have my camera with me. After I found my way back, I had breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts and then came to the internet cafe again to upload pics, check email, and post.

Till next time,
E

I uploaded all my pics so far onto flickr, so check it out if you like. I have included a few below as well.

My kitchen.

A random city in SK. This is what a lot of the housing looks like, including mine.

A Stranger in a Strange Land

2009-11-03T20:12:00.000-08:00

I made it after over 30 hours of travel time (15 of that in the air). I am very tired but could not nap until I saw my surroundings and its exciting. Within a few blocks is not only where I'll be working but hundreds of different businesses including a KFC, Duncan Donuts, and a Starbucks. I will update more later tonight or early tomorrow after taking a long nap. I have not slept much of late and need a few hours of good sleep. Pics are forthcoming as well.

Till then,
E

Finally Off to South Korea

2009-11-02T05:37:00.000-08:00

I leave for Daegu later today. I am very excited about finally leaving but not so much about the 25+ hours it will take to get there. What am I supposed to do with a 4 hour layover in Chicago? Oh well it will be an adventure at least. As soon as I get set up there I'll be updating with some pics and thoughts on my flights.

Till then.
E

Random Youtube

2009-10-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

I realized today that I will not miss driving that much. In a matter of a few miles here near the house, I was almost hit by 2 idiot drivers. I don't live in a densely populated area either.

This is one of my favorite youtube videos of all time. I figured since the World Series is going on (GO Phills!) I would post it. I am actually a Mets hater (Die Hard Braves fan here) but this is not only one of the most classic WS moments, but if you are around my age and grew up on the original Nintendo this is that much better.

Quick Trip to Big D

2009-10-29T21:14:00.001-07:00

Clouds in Louisiana

It has been a very busy week for me as I prepare to leave for South Korea. I decided I needed to go see some friends before I left town, and pick up some things from storage while there.

Friday started out with a long drive to Dallas. It took a little longer than usual with a few slow downs for construction and then some rush hour traffic in Dallas when I got there. I made it in about 12 hours when it usually takes between 10.5 and 11. So after a long drive I was ready to relax and catch up on how my friends were doing with their new baby girl.

This will always be home.

Saturday was a lazy day consisting of watching football and playing some Wii. It was a good day however, since I needed a rest. Sunday was what I was looking forward to the most. After a trip down the road to Paul and Krissy's new found church (which was very good by the way), we settled in for some BBQ and football. P&K had invited old friends over for the day and I showed Paul how to make whitewings, which turned out fantastic. Good food and good company made for an enjoyable day. It didn't hurt that the Cowboys played well that day too and got a much needed victory. All in all Sunday was a great day, but I was not ready for the ride back home on Monday. It was good to see Paul, Krissy, their new little girl Morgan, Buddy & Melissa and their little girl Addyson (who treated us to some singing for our Sunday afternoon entertainment), Brandon, and Deborah (or G Deb instead of Granny). Hopefully I will get to see everyone again in short time.

Morgan Kempton posing for Halloween Pictures.

Monday brought rain and another 12 hour journey back home. The ride home always seems longer too doesn't it? Immediately after arriving home, I started to pack. The plan was to either leave Tuesday night or Wednesday morning to Atlanta. I had to go to Atlanta to visit the Korean Consulate there in order to get my work visa stamped into my passport. So late into the night Monday I was packing. Wednesday would be the interview day for the consulate, and Thursday I would pick up my passport. Then Friday I was planning on flying out so there was little time to get things done.

As it turned out, I will not fly out till Monday and I will explain all of that and how the trip to Atlanta went in the next post.

Till then,
E

Halloween Comic

2009-10-16T12:53:00.001-07:00

Love this Halloween Pic so thought I would share.

FedEx to S. Korea

2009-10-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

So I went down to FedEx yesterday to mail off my documents. The interesting thing was it was cheaper, by $20 or so, to send it Priority than it was to ship it standard. It will get there 3 days earlier too. They said several countries were like that, cheaper to send quicker. That is something new to me.

I am trying to get everything squared away before I head off to SE Asia. This is all happening really quick. I never dreamed I would have found a job so quick, and one that starts so soon. I am glad to be getting away though. Every day it seems like I figure another thing or two that has to be done before I go. It is not to the point of being overwhelming yet, but it is starting to add up.

Hopefully by middle of next week, they get my paperwork Friday, I should have my visa issuance number. Then it is off to the consulate to get my visa. There is only a short time before I am wanted in SK, contract starts Nov 1st, so I hope everything falls in place quickly so I can get everything done on time.

Till next time,
E

Daegu Here I Come!

2009-10-12T20:05:00.001-07:00

I was told tonight that my paperwork is fine. So Daegu, here I come! You can see where in South Korea Daegu is located on the map to the right.

I am headed off to mail my paperwork to Korea in the morning and everything is a go. I think the next step is to wait for a visa confirmation number or something like that. Then I can take that and go to the S. Korean consulate to get the visa stamped into my passport. Hopefully everything works out. It should be an action packed few weeks. I'll have to make a trip to Atlanta to the consulate, Dallas to see my best friends new baby and to get some stuff out of storage. Then I'll have to pack and make a few purchases before I leave.

I am very excited. I even called a friend or two and sent out a bunch of emails to those who are on the East coast and most likely asleep already. Anyway, not much to this post except to say I have the position and I am starting to prepare to move.

Till Next Time,
E

Job Offer - Now in Limbo

2009-10-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

I can't sleep tonight. Late last week I had my first interview with a school in S. Korea. It's a hagwon in Daegu, and I am very interested in the job. The interview went well and the school offered me the position. Since then it has been a waiting game. I went over the contract and after getting a few questions and concerns addressed, I accepted the position. I was asked to sign and scan the signature page of the contract, which I did. Along with that, I emailed in my aposilled CBC (background check). This is where the anxious part came in for me. My recruiter emailed back saying she was not sure immigration would not accept it. They claim that the person doing the check needed to sign the form (which was a simple form I filled out and mailed in). It has a less formal look than others I have seen from other states. So now I am just waiting as the school checks with immigration if my CBC will be accepted. Now I am left waiting. Waiting to see if it will be accepted (I have emailed it to other recruiters and nobody said anything), and waiting to see if I wind up with the job. It all needs to clear itself up soon if I am to make it by November 1 which is the first day of the contract. Other than that I continue to talk to recruiters hoping to find something if this falls through.

It is just after midnight here in Florida and just after 2pm in S. Korea. I hope by the end of their business day to have word on my CBC thus I can't sleep knowing my job is in limbo. That and I took a nap this afternoon.

I'll be sure to file and update as soon as I hear.
E

P.S. If you haven't seen it, check out The Wire. It's an old HBO show, and it's greatness. I am about to finish up season 3 very soon.

Passport Arrived and First Interview

2009-10-07T07:56:00.000-07:00

My passport came last Saturday arriving in just under 4 weeks. I was surprised how quick I received it. This was my last document I needed in order to start interviewing with schools in S. Korea. After a few days of emailing resumes, pictures, and answering a lot of the same questions over and over from various recruiters, I finally got my first interview with a school. It was this morning at 8am which is 10pm Korean Time. I was surprised how well my interviewer, who I believe was the hagwon director, spoke English. We talked for about 12 minutes where most of that was him telling me about the school. It might not be the greatest job in Korea but its not the worst. I am excited about it and feel it went fairly well. I guess I will see when my recruiter comes in later tonight my time to see what he says. I was asked some basic questions and feel I was upbeat enough to impress the director. It is definately a job I would take. It is with a large hagwon that has many branches. This one is in Daegu, which is one of the bigger cities. The pay is good with good benefits and it is an established business.

I know it's only my first interview with a school (I have done a few with recruiters now) but I was a little nervous. I actually thought I missed the call. At about 7:30 I jumped in for a quick shower to get prepared and as I was getting out my phone was ringing at 7:45. He called early. So I waited another 15 minutes or so hoping I didn't miss my opportunity. Sure enough he calls back around 8am. I'll update everyone when I find out how it went from the recruiter later tonight.

Till then,
E

Friends Have Baby - I Await Passport

2009-09-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

So I am just sitting around waiting for my passport to arrive before I can apply for teaching jobs in S. Korea. I got my criminal record check back the other day and sent it off to get apostilled. I was really surprised how quick it came back. I mailed it off to Tallahassee on Monday and got it back in the mail on Saturday. That is quick for any government agency.

So in the mean time while I wait for my passport I am subbing at local schools and trying to finish up a few college classes. Yes I already have my degree but I am still thinking about grad school in the future. I want to get my master's degree in history and needed a few more history credits.

I am excited to announce my best friends had their first baby on Sunday night. Morgan Kalley Kempton was born on September 27 at 11:13 pm. She is a healthy 6lb 12oz and 20" baby girl. I really wish I could have been there for it but being 700 miles away makes it hard. The good news is baby and momma are doing fine.

Not much else is going on. I have a few things on my mind for future posts but right now I don't have the time to put them all down. They will come soon.

I really hope once my passport comes I can start to get some interviews. I really would like to find either public school job starting in February or a hagwon to start before the end of the year. I guess it will remain to be seen what all happens but I am excited about the chance to go overseas and teach English. I think I need to get out of this area for awhile. This week is the 3rd week for my passport and they say it can take between 4-6. I am hoping for closer to 4 as I am excited about getting some interviews going.

Till next time,
E

Passport On Its Way

2009-09-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

I applied for my passport today after getting my picture taken. They say 4-6 weeks to receive it. I am hoping for around 4 but time will tell. I am getting more and more excited about the prospect of teaching English overseas, so the sooner my passport arrives the better. I hope to have all other documents in hand by the time the passport comes. I was a little weary having to leave my original birth certificate with them. The lady told me they would mail it back to me, and I hope they do. I really don't want to have to go get a new one. Which reminds me of my degree. I am really hoping they allow me to make some sort of copy and get it aposilled instead of sending in my original. It took me way too long to get it and I really don't want to let it go and risk someone losing it.

E

Crazy Last Few Weeks

2009-09-09T11:26:00.000-07:00

What an absolute crazy last few weeks this has been. In that time I have had an interview with a recruiter for jobs in S. Korea, had my life threatened by a maniac (long story), went to a family reunion where I hardly knew anyone, spent a day in the hospital with a family member, and accomplished little to nothing or so it feels. I think I need a day to decompress from everything that has been going on.

So the interview went well and I am still excited about the possibility of working in S. Korea. I have sent off for my criminal record and transcripts. With everything that has gone on of late I haven't had the chance to get down to get my passport but that is next on my list. I hope to do this tomorrow after heading to CVS or somewhere to get my passport photos.

Once that is completed, it becomes a waiting game. I have to wait to get my criminal record check back from the state. Then I get to mail it off to another gov't agency to get Apostilled along with a copy of my degree. Then I should have everything to get going and start really looking for work.

In the meantime it is on with the regular daily duties. I am still reading a lot about Korea and still liking what I read. I understand it may take a few months to find a job but I am okay with that. If I could get one by the beginning of 2010, I will be happy. Anything earlier is just gravy. Besides, it will take a month or more to get my passport anyway, and I can't do anything without it.

E

Teaching English Overseas

2009-08-27T21:46:00.001-07:00

I have been giving this a lot of thought over the past few months and have come to the conclusion that it is time to dive in and go for it. I would prefer to start my work overseas in South Korea but I am looking into South America and Eastern Europe as well.

So I have been reading a lot of forums, and I have found a lot of good information out there. I have even stumbled upon a good blog here and there that give a good idea of what I might experience. I am eager to get the process started so I am preparing my resume and working on getting all the paperwork needed, including a passport.

I am not sure if I have missed the big hiring season or not. I read a lot about many of the jobs having started in August, but then I read about many other jobs starting either later in the year or early 2010. I am going to need a month or two anyway to get all my paperwork processed and in order. So starting either later this year or early 2010 would be perfect. It should be an interesting process none-the-less, and I'll be sure to keep my status updated here on what is happening.

Till next time,
E

9 Must See Baseball Parks

2009-08-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

You may be thinking, why nine? Well, nine is baseball. Nine players. Nine Innings. This concept is taken from the Prime 9 show on the MLB Network. It is not intended to be a final list to end all conversation but just the opposite. It is intended to be a list to start conversation. So if you have something to add or delete, let me know what and why.

9. The Ballpark in Arlington: I know. I know. It it really called Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, but the classic name it started out being is one of the best all-time and any Ranger fan, such as I, has never called it anything but. This makes the list not because it is the place I have seen more games than any other, but because of the simplicity, atmosphere, and architecture. Every seat is a good seat to see some great action. During the summer months there is a jet stream going out to rightfield resulting in one of the most offensive stadiums in baseball. That in itself makes it a great place to watch a game, but when you add in the old style architecture with new technology, you have #9 on my list. Oh and don't forget to try a cold Shiner Bock while you are there. It is liquid gold from Texas.

8. Rickwood Field: Where would this list be without the oldest field in the country in Birmingham, AL. Rickwood was built in 1910 and is still in use today. Even though it no longer houses a permanent professional team, the field is used for amateur, semi-pro, and the Rickwood Classic. The Rickwood Classic is a yearly AA game for the Birmingham Barons. Here they celebrate a different era of the Birmingham baseball with a throwback game. This is the best opportunity to experience Rickwood Field and many travel across the country just for the 1 game.

7. Coors Field: Coors Field in Denver, CO offers great views with high octane offense. Again one of the more offensive stadiums due to the high altitude, Coors also offers its patrons a great view of the Rocky Mountains. A row of purple seats in the upper deck mark the mile high line where you can sit and look out onto the beauty of the mountains. Games here during the hot summer months are typically quite pleasant. Due to the altitude the weather cools at night even during the summer offering a great time for all. Be sure to grab some Rocky Mountain Oysters if you dare, and a seat in the Sandlot Brewery, where Blue Moon was invented, is a must before the game.

6. Dodger Stadium: Built in 1962 in Chavez Ravine, Dodger Stadium is the 3rd oldest MLB stadium. This is a classic park with views of LA, the tree-lined hills of Elysian Park and of the San Gabriel Mountains behind the outfield pavilions. A lot of history has taken place here in its 47 years of existence, but if you truly want the LA experience its a must to arrive late and leave early. However, great baseball is to be had on any visit to Dodger Stadium. Passionate Dodger fans are some of the best in the game, and you must not forget to have a famous Dodger Dog before you leave.

5. FirstEnergy Stadium: Home of the Reading Phillies, this park was built in 1951. History abounds here for the Philly fan. Mike Schmidt, Larry Bowa, and Greg Luzinski all played here along with the current crop of Phillies stars. Too hot for you in the summer to see a game? Then relax in the Eagle Pool Pavilion beyond right field and be sure to catch some pre and post game entertainment at the Classic Harley-Davidson Cafe

4. Oriole Park at Camden Yards: Two blocks from the birthplace of perhaps the greatest player of all-time in George Herman "Babe" Ruth (that is a discussion for another day), stands Oriole Park in downtown Baltimore. One of the more picturesque views of a city, Baltimore stands just behind the outfield walls here. A few blocks from the harbor, Camden Yards was the first MLB park to go for the "retro" feel. Be sure to check out Boog Powell's BBQ stand on Eutaw St between the park and the famous B&O Warehouse that left handed hitters take aim at.

3. PNC Park: Home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, PNC Park is the 2nd smallest in terms of capacity held. That shouldn't stop you from having an easy time getting tickets as the Pirates, at least for the past 10+ years, have not put contending teams on the field. However, this park is one of the more picturesque. Great views of downtown Pittsburgh abound here. Park and walk across the Roberto Clemente Bridge, which is in view when looking out of center field. Ticket prices here are some of the lowest in the country for MLB games, and be sure to have a Primanti Brothers sandwich while at the game. They are a Pittsburgh specialty.

1. Fenway Park: Notice there is no #2 on my list. Instead I am going with two #1's for the simple fact that I can not choose between the two. Fenway is the oldest stadium still in use in MLB. Known for its Green Monster in left field, there have been many historic games held here over the past 97 years (it was built in 1912). Many of the games greats have graced this field and it stands as a testament to baseball's staying power in the United States. Packed with history, Pesky's Pole, the Triangle, Williamsburg, and the Lone Red Seat, Fenway is a landmark in itself. Red Sox Nation, as the fans have become known in recent years, are very passionate and will show any fan a good time.

1. Wrigley Field: Home of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field is another landmark in itself. Built in 1913, it has been the home of the Cubbies since 1916. Known for its ivy covered walls in the outfield, the Friendly Confines is the last Federal League park. The Federal League was the last major attempt of an independent professional league challenging the National and American Leagues in the US. Enough of the history lesson, back to Wrigley. The bleacher bums in the outfield are always fun but the atmosphere is great anywhere in the park. Be sure to check out Wrigleyville before or after a game, and if you can try and catch Wrigley at its finest during the day.

Honorable Mention:
New Yankee Stadium (the old stadium would have made the list but I am cautious with the new one so far.)
Dell Diamond in Round Rock, TX - Home of the Round Rock Express
Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, TX - Home of the Frisco Roughriders
Keyspan Park in Brooklyn, NY - Home of the Brooklyn Cyclones
Bright House Field in Clearwater, FL - Home of the Clearwater Threshers
Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, AL - Home of the Montgomery Biscuits
Safeco Field in Seattle, WA - Home of the Seattle Mariners
AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA - Home of the San Fransisco Giants

So that is my 9. What is yours?

Road Trippin' through America's Hearland

2009-08-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I last posted. I had a great trip to Nashville and Indy visiting with my brother and his family. I had a chance to go to another Jimmy Buffett concert (my 8th), but I did miss out on the Def Leppard concert since it was postponed due to a death in the family of a member of the band.

Saturday was a good day. A nice day for the 6 hour road trip up to Nashville from Florida. Leaving out early allowed me to take a little bit more time on the drive while still making good time. It's a fairly easy drive from here but sadly there isn't a whole lot to soak in. That night some friends of my brother came over and we had a good dinner. My brother grilled some kabobs which were fantastic, but the main thrill of the night was the appetizer. Whitewings were the call of the night. For those who have never had them, or even heard of them, it is a popular dish from a Mexican food restaurant where we grew up in Central Texas. It is a chicken breast stuffed with Jack cheese and jalapenos wrapped in bacon and grilled. When done right they are little round balls of greatness, and my brother did a bang up job. Anyone interested can find a recipe here. They are worth trying. The rest of the night was spent on the back patio drinking beer, talking, and listening to a live Jimmy Buffett concert in the background. All in all it was a great day which just happened to be my 33rd birthday. I enjoyed a birthday that was low key with no fuss.

Sunday morning brought a day at the lake on my brother's pontoon boat. I live by the beach but prefer the lake in many ways. I enjoy being able to go out on a boat and just chill. Swim if you want, or hang out with a cold beverage and soak in the sun. J. Percy Priest lake was a lot of fun that day, and it just so happened to be a nice sunny day. Conditions were perfect to be out on the lake with friends and family.

Monday brought in some heat and a chance for me to tour a few of the Civil War sites south of Nashville. The Battle of Franklin was a very bloody affair that is often overlooked even though it was the beginning of the end for the Army of Tennessee. I toured the Carter House which was the site of a major portion of the battle. Here the Confederates broke through the Union line and a large hand-to-hand battle broke out. Our tour guide Alan did a great job. He really gave you a good sense of what went on that day and the horror that the men fought in that horrible day. The Civil War has always fascinated me and one day soon I hope to visit more sites, especially Gettysburg.

Tuesday morning saw my brother and I head out for Indianapolis for the concert that night. I was excited to get a chance to drive through two states I had never visited in Kentucky and Indiana. Kentucky was gorgeous with the rolling hills full of trees. I really enjoyed the ride and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Louisville. We stopped here just before lunch to tour the Louisville Slugger factory and museum. I am sort of a baseball nut and anything baseball related gets me excited. The tour was short but impressive and after watching bats for Carl Crawford being made, we exited to check out the museum portion. Of course the main attraction here are bats from throughout history. The bat Hank Aarron hit #700 with was on display among many others. A bat Babe Ruth used in 1927, with which he hit 21 HRs with, was on display, and i even got the chance to hold a bat used by Mickey Mantle. It was a great time and I enjoyed it immensely. While waiting for a bat to be engraved with my brother's son's name, we sought out lunch in downtown Louisville. Both of us were surprised how much we enjoyed the city. From the architecture, to the riverfront, to the art around on the streets we really enjoyed it. We only got to see a few blocks but I was intrigued enough to want to go back for more.

After our time in Louisville was up, we were back in the car for the ride to Indy. Indiana left more to be desired but we did only see a small portion of it. We arrived at the hotel, which was within walking distance to the concert and after grabbing a bit to eat for dinner at 5 Brother's, which might not have been the best idea to eat a gut bomb before the concert, we headed to the hotel bar to meet a friend of my brothers who lived nearby. After a few drinks it was time to head to the show. I was excited and feeling good by this time but soon the weather would change. About 30 minutes before the show began the sky opened up and poured down rain for a good 30 minutes. At this point I didn't care and embraced it as a story to tell. We sat through another great show, we had both seen him once already this year. Soaked from the rain we listened to all our favorites and even go to hear a new song. Jimmy covered the Beatles Rocky Raccoon, which happens to be one of my all-time favorite songs let along one of my favorite Beatles songs. I was thrilled about this and even though Jimmy did a so-so job, he doesn't always do the best covers, it was great to hear.

It turned out to be a long but fun-filled trip. A couple days later I was back home in Florida ready for another road trip. My next one might have to wait a little while but you never know when the opportunity will strike. Lately I have been working on building a new site. I am still working on the design and even the name but hope to have it out and live in due time. I recently purchased an ebook on how to make money with a travel blog and it has really opened my eyes. I was not aware of a lot of what was in the book so I think it will be very helpful. Soon I will give a full review which might be helpful for others who are in the same boat as me. I have computer knowledge but not necessarily the knowledge needed to bring in viewers and money from a site. So look for that and my new site hopefully coming soon. As soon as I nail down a name I'll announce it here.

Till next time,
E

Roadtrip to Nashville and Indianapolis

2009-08-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I am headed for Nashville on a little roadtrip. I am going to visit my brother and his family while taking in a few concerts along the way. It has been awhile since I have been up to Nashville so I am looking forward to it.

Monday night is Def Leppard, Poison, and Cheap Trick in Nashville. During the day I am looking forward to taking in some Civil War sites in Franklin and Spring Hill. A small battle occurred at Spring Hill but a bigger battle in the War of Northern Agression (as it is known in many parts of the south) happened in Franklin. I am really looking forward to seeing the sites. The Civil War time is one of my favorites.

Tuesday my brother and I are headed up to Indianapolis to see Jimmy Buffett. This will be my 2nd Jimmy concert of the year and I am really looking forward to it. He always puts on a great show. I have never been to Indianapolis so I am looking forward to seeing it. Plus the drive through Kentucky should be very nice. Roadtrips are always fun, especially when you are headed somewhere you have never been. Maybe on the way back, depending on how we feel after 2 straight nights of concerts, we might stop over in Louisville to see the Louisville Slugger museum. That will all be time dependent however.

So it should be a fun trip and I hope to bring back some good pictures. I am working on learning my camera better in order to take black and white photos. It seems I can only do it in manual mode so I am trying to figure out the right settings in order to make better pictures.

Tomorrow I turn 33. Perhaps it is a bit of mid-life crisis but I am feeling the need to travel more nad more now. I have been married once already and before I ever do anything like that again, I want to get out and see the world. There are too many dreams I have and I want to try and fulfill them, at least some of them, before I pass on.

I'll be back next week after my trip to bring you a trip report and some good pictures.
Till then,
E

A New World Map and Niche Ideas

2009-08-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

I recently received my wall map of the world. It is nice to have by the computer as I am looking at different destinations. This way I can easily see where the area is that I am looking at. I feel it will come in handy as I continue to plan my trip. I really like how it is laminated so I can use a dry erase marker on it to help plan my destinations.

I have had a list of things I want to see sportswise for a long time. However, Kirsty, also known as Nerdy Nomad, has given me an idea for my travels. I am working on a list of things I want to see/do while I travel. So far I am up to 33 but plan on doing 100. Kirsty has a great blog that I have followed for some time. She has traveled for over a year and a half and works online while traveling. She has some good stories and some great tips on working while traveling so check it out.

Kirsty also had a recent post on becoming number 1 in a niche online for your website. This was something I never thought of, but it makes a lot of sense. I would eventually like to turn out a website that helps fund my travels abroad, so I am doing more and more research on it. Eventually I plan to release my idea for my personal niche that I will one day own online. Since I am a huge history and baseball fan, I am leaning toward something that incorporates one of these passions in my website. Or perhaps I will expand a little and turn my baseball passion into a general sports site, as I do love just about any sort of sport. It's just one of many ideas I am tossing around.

That is all for now. The sun has broken out between the dark rain clouds and I want to take in some sun before the rain returns.

Till next time,
E

A Short Upcoming Trip

2009-07-25T14:24:00.001-07:00

I am excited about a short trip coming up in a few weeks. I am heading north to Tennessee to visit my brother and his family. While there my brother and I will hit a few concerts. The first one is in Nashville and the second is a little further north in Indianapolis. I am excited about seeing some of the countryside north of Nashville and seeing some of Indianapolis. I have never been up that way and I love to see new places. It will not be a long trip but it will be a fun filled one.

I have been reading quite a few travel blogs of late to get some ideas on places to go and things to see. I ordered a large wall map of the world to help me in two ways. First it will help me visually looking at places I want to visit and the proximity of the next destination. Secondly, and maybe most importantly, it will serve as motivation for the trip.

I also picked up a Bill Bryson book. I heard he is a good travel writer and I am looking for some good reading that might be inspiring as well. If you have any more recommendations on good travel books please drop me a line.

This was just a short entry but I will leave you with another Mark Twain quote on traveling...

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” - Mark Twain