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By Marty, June 26, 2010 6:31 pm

A clean half a dozen of them, ghostly pale yellow parallel marks on the ugly green sofa in our apartment.  The first, when it arrived, was a mystery. The 2nd more so. The 3rd became a damn full-fledged investigation with no one owning up to it.  By the time the 4th and subsequent ones showed up I had begun to suspect a problem.

It’s a cultural thing. Specifically a Korean thing.

Despite the fact the MyeongHee’s son is 18 and in his senior year of high school, MyeongHee gets up early every morning to fix his breakfast, prepare his clothes and style his hair. If she’s late, he’ll open our door and rattle it ’til she wakes. Then he’ll sit on the sofa watching TV while she prepares his breakfast.

After he eats and gets his school uniform on she style his hair. He sits on the floor while she blows his hair dry and using the straight iron.  All this extreme mothering for a boy about to be in college and/or the army is strange to me. But that’s another story for another time.

The pale yellow marks are burns from when she puts down the iron to brush or spray his hair. Asian hair is thick and can be unruly so she’s gotta get both hands in there.  I fussed at her for burning the sofa. The apartment is free and is part of the contract for teaching here. A good chunk of the furniture is not ours, and is furnished by the school including the ugly green sofa. When one day we depart, we’ll have to make amends for this poor old thing and its burns.

MyeongHee is a wonderful wife and mother.  She never once bitched, talked-back or gave me grief about the fussing I did over the old ugly green sofa. It’s not that expensive and we’ll have little trouble repairing or replacing it. And I never considered how she was managing the daily styling sessions – that happens early in the morning while I’m still in the sack. But the pale yellow marks increased no more. The six already there stand as silent sentinels to a bygone era. I was happy.

This week I learned how she was managing to style with just two hands a brush, comb, blow drier and a hot straightening iron.

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By Marty, June 15, 2010 12:45 pm

This past Sunday we went to Busan to celebrate our niece’s 1st birthday. That’s a big occasion in  Korea and dates back to an era when infant mortality was relatively high. It used to be the 100 day marker, but times have improved greatly in the past few decades.

This birthday was for GaEun, MyeongHee’s younger brother’s baby.  He’s nearly 40 and he and wife tried for years to have one of their own. They gave up and adopted her last year.  She’s a sweet baby.

The event calls for transitional Korean clothes, a “hanbok” which both the mother and GaEun wore. They matched, actually.

Part of the ceremony is for the baby to pick one of several items on a tray. Tradition says that when the baby grows up her choice will determine her career, wealth, health, etc.  I haven’t been her long enough to see if  that holds true, but its a cute tradition to watch.  GaEun grabbed with both hands and picked up a golf ball and a toy stethoscope, meaning she’ll be a doctor and will play golf – which sounds like a reasonable match.

During the ceremony, DuHong, the father, got a little choked up on his speech. Just a short sentence or two about the joys of being a parent, and given their history of trying for over 12 years nearly the whole room full of folks leaked a little around the eyes.

The other tradition about 1st birthday’s is the food. They’re nearly always held at a buffet restaurant and the amount of food is staggering.  All good stuff. The one thing I passed on was the ultra fresh octopus – those little guys were still wriggling on the platter. I saw a couple of people take a few wrigglers and pile them on their plate to be eaten still squirming.

Take a gander at the video:

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By Marty, June 10, 2010 11:53 am

Just a smattering of photos from last week’s Scooter Inferno.

Me and my partner, Sam, with our Grand Prize winnings - a couple of helmets and goggles

The Bonus shot - Dancing Girls. Almost every store grand opening or big sale event has a pair out front

At Tohamsan Garden restaurant deep in the mountains between Ulsan and GyeongJu

At the monument to Canada nuclear engineers near the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant. I think the radiation made me get a little crazy

The Sea Penis. I swear they look just like dicks in their tubs. Pick one up and it will pee

From left, Sam, Nikki, me, Scott, Dee and Wolfie. Two teams working together until the last 15 minutes

Lots more pictures, but some aren’t fit for publication. And here, also is a the video created for the awards banquet.  Check it out.

Anyway, that’s all for now.

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By Marty, April 25, 2010 2:17 pm

Yesterday I went rock climbing with my usual friends and a few new ones. There’s always people coming and going here.  One of the new ones is Vanessa – a native of North Texas, former resident of Dallas and an alumni of my alma mater, University of North Texas. Als0 being a climber, she was a somewhat frequent climber at Stoneworks climbing gym at I-35 and Beltline in Carollton.  What are the odds.  Half way around the world but from the same place. She’ll probably climb with us again.

Another reunion of sorts was with my dogs. They got to play with one of the litter. We called her “GaMyeon” or “Mask”, but her new name is “Corker.”  Good friend and frequent climbing partner Dee is the new mommy to Corker. The pups and their mom, SaTang, played on the mountain while we climbed.

Dee holds her pup Corker while Sparky and Satang pose.

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By Marty, April 11, 2010 1:58 pm

I’ve been here for over 3 years this stint – since January 2007. I spent another year year here in 2004/05. In all that time, I’ve had only two visitors from America – Kim and Mark.  I had hopes of some of my family members coming to visit so I could show off my little private Shangra-La.  But I’ve given up on that. That’s ok. Going overseas is not for everyone.  Perhaps I can instead bring a little Korea to you, the reader.

Today, MyeongHee and I went to Busan to go to Costco for some American food like cheese, cheerios and sour cream (I could use a few packets of Ranch Dip sent by the way.)  We went with two of her hair shop friends who stocked up on things themselves. All along the way, all three of them would Ooo, Ahh and Ypuda (Korean for pretty) as we drove through the mountains and passed cherry trees, pear orchards or wild red-buds in bloom. It was kind of funny – a musical accompaniment to the iPod I had playing on the stereo.

On our way back, we stopped at a galbi restaurant. That’s a typical Korean tradition – when friends go out together as the 3 girls did, dinner is on the agenda. I love galbi. Knowing nothing of  Korean cuisine back in 2004, it was the first meal I had as the school director took us all out to welcome me and say farewell to the teacher I was replacing. I fell in love with Korean food that night.  Today as we ate, I thought of just how different galbi is from the western diet I still crave (and spent large amount of money on today to sustain my habit of .)  It’s not just the ingredients themselves that are different, but the manner in which it is cooked and eaten.

Traditional Korean galbi is marinated, fatty pork strips grilled right at the table. A few of my close friends in Dallas as well as my two daughters have had it from a restaurant in K-town in Dallas. Only slightly different due to availability of the same types of lettuce and garlic, the Chosun Korean BBQ on Royal Lane just east of Harry Hines in Dallas is pretty close.  The beauty of galbi is the interactivity of the meal. One doesn’t simply consume a plate of meat, veggies and rice, but must actively participate in its creation. As the strips of pork are cooked, they are cut with a kitchen shears into bite-size pieces. Once cooked, a piece of meat is placed on a single leaf of lettuce (anything but iceberg will do.)  Most Koreans put a slice of raw garlic on it next, but some, like me, like their garlic singed a little on the grill. Then a red paste mixture of beans and red pepper is added to it. Depending on the side dishes served, and Koreans usually have numerous to choose from, one can add those to the lettuce as well. I like the marinated onions. Once you have all the meat, garlic, paste and veggies you want in your lettuce, wrap it all up and stuff it – it should be a large wad – into your mouth.   This shit rocks!  It’s a little spendy in Dallas, but here in Korea we can feast for cheap – four of us left full-bellied for less than $40, including beer.

So, for those of you who perhaps one day will come to visit me here, you’ll get your own royal treatment and be shown all the intricacies and niceties of Korean dining. We’ll feast on all that is well and good in Korean kitchens. For those of you who will likely never come visit (I’m not naming names), go eat some galbi and toast me while you eat. In Dallas, Chosun BBQ is best.  Chicago has it’s own K-town and there are likely numerous spots there to try it. South Dakota?  Not likely but there may be something.

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By Marty, March 17, 2010 2:56 am

Although I still ride my bicycle nearly everyday the weather is nice, I wanted something else for those times when I want to just get there. Tonight is a good example. It’s St. Patrick’s Day and a number of the expats here will drink a green beer or two. Previously, I would either have to wait for MyeongHee to come home first so I can take the car, or I’d have to take a taxi.

Scooters are very popular here and no one looks silly riding one. In the US, we made fun of people on little scooters, or “mopeds” as we called them. But then, we also made fun of the middle-aged men riding Harleys who tried oh-so-hard to look like mean bikers boys in leather chaps and vests only to get up on Monday morning and wear the suit and tie to work.

And a close up for those wondering if that fuzz on my face is dirt. I keep telling my students it’s blond hair in my beard, but they don’t buy it any more than my daughters did years ago.

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By Marty, February 27, 2010 3:18 am

Nothing is Permanent. And change is fast if it’s not slow.

“Nothing is Permanent“, by Brave Combo from the album “No no no cha cha.“

That’s a phrase that rings true no matter where (or when) you are. Personally, I like change. Usually. When I can control the changes, I like it better than when change happens to me.

Living here in Korea, change is a constant. Anyone who comes here as I have to teach English comes on a one-year contract. Many people stay longer. Some bail out earlier. Back home in America people come and go as well, but it’s not so fraught with the finality that permeates the leaving here. In America, people change jobs and even change cities but it’s far less common than here. Moreover, since teachers here come from multiple points around the globe, the likelihood of meeting again outside of Korea is reduced to almost nil for all but the best of friendships. When they go, they’re gone.

I’ve gotten used to seeing people go. I can count on one hand the number of English-speaking friends I have here that I met way back in 2004.  Although those that have already moved on are still virtually around thanks to tools like facebook and email its not the same as being in the same room, having live conversations, sharing a meal or a drink. One can argue the virtues of webcams all night, but it’s just not the same. Period.

Of course, just as some friends leave, others come to fill their shoes. I’ve made a lot of new friends over the years.

Last night I went to dinner with two friends who I have only known for a year. Although they spent two years here, the first was in the northern part of the country and I only met them last spring. I first met Robert and Lisa when Robert read and commented on a rock climbing article I’d posted on UlsanOnline.com.  We hooked up for some climbing and became great friends. They left this morning to go back to the USA for a short visit and then they are off to Cambodia for an internship in working with the poor, underprivileged and abused.

We went to dinner at Kebapistan, one of the few western restaurants in Ulsan. This one specializes in Turkish food and is Robert and Lisa’s favorite. I like it as well. Nothing like a little Mediterranean food to ward off the Kimchi blues. They also have hookahs – large water pipes with flavored tobacco. I’m not a big fan of hookahs, but when passed the hose I’ll usually indulge although I’d never order one for myself.

I met several new friends at the dinner. That’s not uncommon either. Foreigners here tend to congregate together and networking is a given. If you know one, you’ll soon meet their friends, either in-person or on the ubiquitous book of faces.  Some of these new friends are just into their first year here. On my right, Daniel, is about to finish his 1st year and will come back. Since I just met him last night, I hope to catch up with him again. Two friends go out, another comes in. Change is permanent.

On my left is William, another good friend who I met after he arrived last year. Robert and I and taught him to rock climb. He’s finished his year contract and has already signed a new contract for another year.  William and his girlfriend, Youngran (next to Lisa) and MyeongHee and I are already planning on visiting Robert and Lisa in Cambodia this year.  MyeongHee and I had already talked about going to Cambodia on vacation this year to see Angkor Wat and now we have even more reason to go with Robert and Lisa paving the way. Another adventure awaits.

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By Marty, February 24, 2010 12:12 pm

You can’t keep kids away from them.  I brought the puppies to the park before I went to work to give them some exercise. Within minutes we were swamped with kids. We used to attract a few kids when it was just me and SaTang, but with her and six puppies we always get a crowd.

From the left is my school owner’s daughter, Nae-Young, the director’s son, Min Joon, Na-Young’s twin sister, Tae-Young, a student at the school who I only know as Tom, and three kids who I don’t know but wouldn’t leave the pups alone.  Everybody had a puppy and everyone was happy.