Blogs from Ilsan, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, Asia

I am back. Back to Korea that is. I am about to begin my new job, in my new neighborhood, with a new outlook on the experience past and ahead. As most of you know, I took an extended break from the 9-5, although my previous job was not 9-5. I guess what I wanted was a break from Korea and to come home to Portland to see the people I missed while I was away. I arrived about a month ago in and have been waiting to start my new Job in Ilsan. Ilsan is an area of Korea just north of Seoul, and just south of the DMZ (around 25 miles). I am staying with my girlfriend Michelle at the moment while I await starting my new position and finding a place of my ... read more

http://newsmain.digitomi.com/engine/isapi/frame.dll?bn=metroseoul&in=20100914&gp=12&ul=ko I Hope This Works ? This is the Document of Shauna & I, being in the Metro Seoul Newspaper ... ... read more

We'd been at the village less than fourteen days when we heard rumors about a Costco in Ilsan and how wonderful it was because they stocked brands we would know, they had cheese and other assorted foods foreigners couldn't find elsewhere. The problem with Costco as everyone knows is you must be a member. Our mission was to find someone with a Costco card willing to go with us so we could explore the possibilities? On Tuesday we started our search for a Costco member by inquiring to other teacher's during our development time inside the teacher's workroom. During our search for someone with a membership card, Andrea explained that we only needed to borrow a card because we all looked the same! With this information rattling around in my head, I thought she was screwing ... read more

AHHHHHHHHHGGGRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (she screams in silent anger as she sits in her chair afraid to actually open her mouth for fear that it may induce further pain) Here is another poem I wrote for today's feelings and adventures. The reason for this one is that I just got back from the Dentist. Never a great thing in any day. I went with the idea that I had a cavity to have fixed, but instead he told me there was none! BUT, that instead, the pain and sensitivity that I have been feeling on my one tooth, is actually coming from the tooth beside it and I will probably have to have yet another root canal to fix the problem. You see this tooth in question, years ago, had a cavity, it got fixed by being filled with ... read more

Today I awoke to my alarm. An alarm with the purpose of awaking me for the morning job of taking my temperature. Today I am in quarantine. A quarantine that started 5 nights and 4 days ago. Today my voice is starting to return. I long to sing again. Today the sun is shinning, but I must stay inside. I must stay inside because I am in quarantine. I am not sick. Today I enjoyed 2 short intervals of human interaction beyond the walls of my apartment. I had to get food. The time was short but the walk was slow. Today I made someone laugh. In turn, also making me laugh. Today I said goodbye to 2 friends. Colleagues turn friends. Friends turn Art collaborators. Today I cried. Elisa (Ashley and Alicia - you will ... read more