The end of EPIK?

So it's official, I have no job next year :(

There are MASSIVE cuts and only 5 vocational high schools will have foreign teachers.  I'm already starting to mourn the loss my job and I'm only 3 months in.

I have no idea what is happening to the EPIK program.  There are rumors all over the place but it sounds like it is essentially disappearing.  I might still try to stay on, but I'll probably be moved to an elementary school, or worse a middle school. I'll have to move for my second time here, and, well there's a lot of other things up in the air too.

I know some people that are starting to look for university jobs but with this happening that market is going to get flooded and I don't expect to have much of a chance there, especially because I don't have my masters and won't have time to get it before next summer...and there are pros and cons with those jobs too, some people love them but a lot of times you take a pay cut and...well it just is a whole different can of worms.

So I'll sit in limbo for the next 9 months and we'll see what happens.

Engrish

So if you don't know about it there's actually an entire site (well probably more than the one but it's the most well known)...anyway this site is all Engrish.  And mostly hilarious.

The Korean government was actually giving away money (well...tourist gift certificates but whatever they're good a lot of places) for like 50,000 a pop (about $45USD).   All you needed to do to get this money was to take a picture of a government posted sign and report it with a correct supplied.  Afterwards they went through and fixed all the signs, but they wanted to make the city more tourist friendly (and they're still working on that...).  So you still see Engrish, just (typically) not on any official signs.

So one of the most painful Engrish things I've seen was on a shirt.  Now the reason it's so painful is because they were SO CLOSE to having a proper sentence, even if it was a little strange for a shirt.  Then they just lost it at the end...

"If you have the time and the desire to leave feedback it would be appreciated and hello"

So. Close.

For a good time: Engrish.com

Police are second to none...except taxis. And pedestrians. And red lights, and....

So one thing that's very noticeable is the police and their lack of authority.  On my first day in Busan I saw a taxi cut off a cop and I was completely shocked.  Now I see it and I'm amazed but not even remotely shocked.

I asked my co-teacher if people are supposed to pull over for cop cars, and he said "I don't know the right saying for this...they are second to none?"

So yeah, cops should have the right of way, but they don't.  At all.

I've seen them stop at red lights, stop for pedestrians, as well as get passed by taxis, motorcycles, mopeds, and regular cars.  I guess the only things I haven't seen pass them are pedestrians and buses.  But pedestrians are slow and buses have their own lane so they don't count.

One morning I got up and traffic was backed up as far as I could see in one direction.  Obviously something must have happened, likely an accident considering the crazy drivers here.  So a fire truck comes through with its lights and sirens on...and sits at a red light.  Then it starts going...and sits in traffic.  Instead of driving down the wrong side, or people pulling over, it just SAT THERE with everyone else.  That's a slight lie, once they saw the cluster f*** in the intersection they went on the wrong side for a minute to get through then pulled back over.  Really they can't get caught at two red lights...

Piece of advice, don't get seriously hurt in Korea, you'll never make it to the hospital in time.

As a final note let me point out that this was in the morning, while I was getting ready for work.  I didn't try to grab my camera at first because I figured there was no way I was going to catch it...well I did miss it at the red light but this was a solid two minutes after I first looked and saw it.  When I finished getting ready and went downstairs about 5 or 10 minutes later it had made it to the front of the building (my apartment is on the side...).  Congrats dude on gaining about 50 yards in 5 minutes!

Skinny Koreans?

So if you've read anything about Korea you've probably run across this idea that all Koreans are these super skinny people. Let me dispel this myth for you.

There ARE fat Koreans. Now this is the exception rather than the rule (unlike in the US) but they are out there.

Actually I've even seen quite a few that would be in the "obese" category. This morning I saw something I NEVER expected, I saw a morbidly obese Korean.

I'm talking Biggest Loser size, maybe even a bit bigger than most of the women. Although you do see this in the US, almost frequently even, it really was a surprise...I think they were staring at me more than her though :(

Now there's a few reasons this size is rare but unfortunately a big reason for it is suicides. The bullying here has FINALLY started to get attention and they're trying to prevent suicides but they are still too common.

Now WHY did it take so long? Well that's a long complicated story and I'm sure I don't even know most of it but, from what I've seen already, I can tell you that they hold themselves way above everyone else (especially western countries). To think that THEY could be at fault for something like suicide? Never.

So fat? Yes.
Bullying? Yes.

Luckily my school doesn't have any serious bullying (at least that I've seen) but I've heard plenty of horror stories already from other teachers. Something to consider if you're thinking of coming over.

Now the new question is, where do these bigger women go shopping? I need more clothes!!

Black Outs

Great pictures of people passed out all over Korea.  Hilarious.  To make it better some say they were taken at like 1pm...yup, winners.

http://blackoutkorea.blogspot.kr/

Gas

So I was sitting in my apartment the other day and my doorbell rang...so I look at the camera and I have no idea who it is.

I open the door a crack and this woman is like pushing her way into my apartment and I have no idea what she's saying. Finally she looks up and realizes I have no idea what is going on and says, "gas, you gas"...

Sure...

So it turns out our gas lines get monthly inspections and she was there to make sure I had no leaks or anything.  Good news, my apartment isn't going to explode the next time I light a candle.  Sweet.

Always, CocaCola

I love this, and it's far from the only one...What is wrong with this (really dark) picture??

Did you get it?

Give up?

I don't know why but there are a ton of Coke machines that have no Coke...but they're stocked with Pepsi...

It's the little things in life :-)

How Koreans are taught to write in Japanese

So when we learned Japanese they had these pictures to remember the Hiragana and Katakana (The two alphabets) http://www.heyladyspring.com/2011_09_25_archive.html
Like these for English speakers:

SO if you can't figure it out they use pictures where the Japanese character fits over pictures where the English words sounds like the character, or something to remind you of it...

And well...here's the Korean take on those sounds... take a look at "hi" ...top middle, in case you missed it.