Back in Korea

After 3 glorious weeks of Thailand I finally made it back to Korea, and I was greet by an unexpected, if not pleasant, surprise. I actually didn't get back into school until two days into term, not because I planned it that way, but because I came down with something when I came back, due to temperature change? I am not really sure, but there seems to be a stomachal side to it that is still lingering. Anyway, to the surprise. So I was sitting in class today, trying as hard as I could to stay interested in what we learning, all material that I knew and could comfortbly use in conversation and what not, and after class was over today, my former taecher came up to me. He asked me sort of jeering, how easy level 3 was, and I sort of gave him a borede-to-death look, and he then asked me how I would like to jump into level 4, and consequently, I was beaming. So he arranged for a quick interview for me, no pesky paper test or anything, I had it, and I was even asked if I wasn't of Korean or Japanese decent or whether I had grown up around the language, I was quite flattered. Anyway, without a doubt that teacher that interviewed me, arranged for me to start level tomorrow, and I couldn't be happier, nothing I dislike more than a classroom that is moving too slow.

I got my report card back today too, and as one may expect, it was slightly over satisfactory. It was quite a peculiar little report card; it had a portion where it graded you on Global Tasks, and I did really well on that section. It was sort of an elementary school report card, with hand written teacher comments, boxes to check with either, Poor, Fair, or Excellent, quite nostalgic.

I'll talk a little more about Thailand. Ayatthuya, the former capital of Thailand was quite nice. No Angkor Wat, which I didn't get to see ultimately, but still nice. I did a lot of drawing/sketching during this trip. I used to draw a lot before I started getting preoccupied with other things around the same time I started doing the whole world travel thing, but I have gotten back into it as of late, and I hope to keep at alive as something I do, and not just have turn into a " I used to". This fellowship has been quite remarkable that way. Not only am I really learning the Korean language to an extent not possible at this rate, or any rate at all really, in the States, not to mention learning about the culture as well, but I am also having a lot of time to do many of the things, of all magnitudes and sorts, that I ahve been meaning to do for the first time or again for quite some while. So this is truly the "year off", "leave of absence" ecperience that I was hoping for and much much more.

After Ayatthuya, I hitched a ride to Chonburi, about 45 minuted from Bangkok. I spent about a week or so in this area, a lot more than I had expected, but there was just so much to see and do! I didn't make it to Angkor because I got caught up Island hopping, Koh Lan, Koh Sichang, etc, and it was glorious. I felt like I could spent the rest of my life on those islands, although I also got island fever soon there after, I am quite bi-polar about those kind of things. I went clubbing some as well, and the only way I can describe the nightlife, at least what I saw, it was like that Disney movie Pinocchio where the bad boys are on that island with no rules and then drink the beer and subsequently turn into donkeys, total chaos, and everyone looks so young, there wasn't even a cover for most places, it was still fun though. At one place my friends and I started dancing in the bathroom area to get out of the way of the chaos, and it ended up being quite nice, cooler, etc.

After my own little exodus out in the Chonburi area, doing the beach thing, checking out a giant hill with a lasered image of a giant buddha, atving through a vineyard ( It was quite beautiful), jet skiing, etc. I made my way back to Chantaburi to see my bro again. He had had a grand ol' time with the other exchange students, and it was great to see him again. My last couple days with him before going back were very realaxed and quite nice, especially after my crazy week and a half alone, I even kayaked almost every other day for chrissake, great week and a half, still exhausted though.

Impression of Thailand: Very Awesome. Definitely settle down someday material for me. I am a person that has a poignant, however profound understanding regarding the invetability of globalization, however, I truly shudder at the fact. There are few things that make me as sad as the shape globalization has taken. Anyone who knows me well, has probably heard my rant about why and what not, but that is precisely why I liked Thailand so much. I felt like it was country that was at least putting up a respectable fight. Obviously not being bellicose or anything about it, but standing their ground at least. Of course there are certain historical circumstances, and what not, but the same cannot really be said about say, Japan or Korea. Anyway, I don't want to get started, because I'll never stop writing, I need to get some sleep, to fully recover form this bug I have got. In short, I really like Thailand; it's a good place. Of course, me enamoration with the place is quite young and naive, given I have only really been a vacationer there, no substantial to way to gauge how one views or reacts to the country and all its nuances and intricacies. As I always say, live there or don't go at all....that's an exxageration, I admit, and I really don't say that.

Finally, today I was able to make it out to the jaw-dropping Van Gogh exhibition that they hauled into the Seoul Museum of Art from the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam today. Van Gogh is some pretty powerful stuff up close, I'll have to go back in in a couple of month to re-absorb it. That is one thing that the "developed" or "trying really hard to catch up with the developed, ahem the US" has, at least, access to fine art, culture, etc, cosmopoltanism....The only problem I feel is, particularly in the East, is that their own unique culture is being indelebly and terribly affected and tainted forever by the desire to be Western, or up to par, as good ol' Nietzche mentioned, it is not "progress" the Germans needed at the turn of the 19th century, it was to strive towards a self-regulating culture that belonged to Germany, and Germany alone, still interacting with others, sure, but THAT was what was more important, more important than progress. Anyway, we all know how that ended up, Nietzche sort of predicted a lot, in an interesting way, interesting guy. Anyway, I have been reading a bunch of Nietzche lately. That's another thing this "time off" has afforded me, a lot of time to read, I have recently come off a fad with Dostoevsky. It has been good, and I have plenty more stuff to get through in the coming months. Anyway, there is an update for now. I will be headed off to Mexico City on December 19th for winter break to see my mom and sisters; I can't wait. I'll try to put in another post before then, if not, next time from the DF. Adios.