I Get a Kick Outta' Taekwondo

Looking back at my life, I realize that in most of the situations I've experienced which involved someone having to stand up for him or her self, I was always the one either hiding behind the curtains hoping no one comes over and punches me in the gut, or the guy trying to invent something fast in order to change the subject to avoid all confrontation all together. I was by nature a wimp and a coward. I am not a physically big person, therefore I learned to be quite astute for not getting into fights. Of course violence is stupid, but even in non-violent situations I used to also avoid any form of verbal confrontation like it were a visit to the dentist to have some wisdom teeth removed. To say I lacked confidence is to say that ice freezes. You needn't be a psychoanalyst to conclude that I was afraid to speak my mind. I am an American and a Californian to boot. Therefore, I have an overabundance of free speech which I am blessed with. So why did I always keep things to myself? I didn't want to be the coward.

That all changed two years ago. After getting chased out of a bus stop like a squeaking little mouse by a crazy guy twice my size, and nearly getting attacked by two crack heads in a Berkley parking garage made me realize that you can't always hide behind the curtains. The crack head incident came just about a month before I had decided to come to Korea. After this episode I also knew that I had to do something to improve my confidence. Also, being from the San Francisco Bay Area, one needs to realize that sometimes trouble does crawl into your personal space. Sometimes it's a situation that lingers like a cockroach which becomes difficult get rid of. So if you have an opportunity to learn how to defend yourself a bit, why not take that chance up?

So I swore to myself that once in Korea I would come here to learn their national sport taekwondo. When I started it was quite an intimidating experience. I am quite naturally clumsy and inept at physical movement. Moreover, the students in the group at the time were all getting ready for their black belt test. So you can imagine how a maladroit like me would feel at the time. I didn't know a roundhouse from a front kick, or a middle block from a bow. I can't even remember if was able to touch my toes at the time. What I do remember however, Is fiasco after fiasco during every lesson. If I tried to kick a roundhouse, I failed. If I attempted to do a simple form, it would be filled with critique. It was ironic, but the first year of my attempt to improve my self-confidence and self defense abilities were filled with hopelessness. I wouldn't have made it if my instructors and fellow learners weren't so supportive and patient with my shortcomings. Despite my failed attempts, over months and months of attending lessons, my abilities strangely started to take on a new form. The form of accuracy started to blossom. I started to see that a little patience goes a long way. Trust me. I nearly lost it countless times. Now, in spite of nearly quitting for good, I am still keeping at it. Also, I feel a hundred times more confident socially too. Now I sense that I have inherited that empowering feeling characters in the movie Network realized, when they got on their rooftops and screamed, 'I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it no more!' Watch out world, cause I am doing the same.

Currently, I am a red belt. I am not amazing, but I am almost a brown belt , and with a little more effort, I'll be a black belt in a few months. I now have the mysterious ability to kick a round house, ( if I stretch for 15 minutes,) and my hands are finally able to manage a brief contact with my toes. I am also a hundred times more confident. So Bay Area residents take note, because in a few months I'll even know a side kick. I must take a moment realize that I consider myself quite lucky to come here as a foreigner to experience this. Not everyone has the fortunate breaks I get. It's a very interesting cultural experience too. I study with foreigners and Koreans. I have a foreign teacher, and a Korean teacher who is able to put me through hell in a record time of 45 minutes; you've never seen stretching until you've come here.

If you are curious about learning more, then just come to Korea. You wouldn't have to walk more than a hundred meters. taekwondo dojans are everywhere. The price is a steal too. A month will typically cost you between sixty and one hundred dollars. I don't even want to think what pseudo grandmasters are asking for back in Northern California. So if you do decide to settle here for a while, don't tell me there is nothing to do. I am warning you. I'll just put on my headphones, because there is always a taekwondo school and if they welcome me, they will welcome anybody.

From A to B in Comfort

Today is Friday, so I am naturally chipper. To me-like many of us, Friday symbolizes cheerfulness; unlike the word Monday which sadly brings expressions to my mind like; misery, suffering, and 'I'm too sick to come in to work.' Despite my natural psychological reaction to Fridays, I have to say I am especially excited this day because I get to escape from Suncheon to visit my girlfriend in Seoul. She's amazing! She's attractive and has a special 'joie de vivre,' which I seldom have. So it's always wonderful to see her on the weekends, and moreover after the weekend, because it's gratifying to have someone to whine to on Mondays during my overly hectic workday. In addition to being happy about seeing my girl, I am also looking forward to the journey. I fully understand it might sound odd to read about someone being excited about traveling 400 kilometers. It might also come as a bigger shock to you to hear that this journey I am eager to embark on is on a bus. For many Americans the thought of riding a bus for four hours would be on the top of a very long list of things to avoid. Other things on that list would notably be drowning, getting attacked by a bear, and of course ordering a sandwich in San Francisco. Buses are typically hellish. They are an unfortunate part of life in America. So why am I charged to jump on one? Simply because the Express Buses in Korea are amazing for their comfort and affordability.

For around 25 dollars you can take an express bus to Seoul, which all come with reclining, padded, and really wide, spaced seats with comfy armrests. If you are tired, you will sleep like a baby too. In addition all the buses are designed with three seats per aisle; unlike most buses which install four seats per aisle. One side will have two seats, but I always try to reserve my ticket early so I get a solo seat on the opposite side. That way I can stretch my feet lazily across the aisle, turn on my trademark mp3 player and drift of into a pleasant Friday afternoon nap, which will have me rested for a night out among the buzzing Seoul folks.

The journey takes about four hours, but with traffic it can take up to five. Because of the slightly long journey the bus will always stop after about two hours for a quick rest stop. I usually take this as my cue to get out and head to the mini stop and grab some water and a twix bar. It's easy to do so because the rest stops in Korea are all laid out the same, which is convenient for me because I am terrible at navigating myself around places. For example, I am always walking on the wrong floor of my school where I teach, so when exiting the bus I also have to make a mental note to look at the licence number of my bus. This is because so many other express buses are stopping for breaks. Also, most Korean buses look so darn similar, so it's easy for an absentminded 'waygook,' like myself to get lost. The problem being is that the bus drivers are punctual about their departure times and they might leave you in the dust if yo get lost between the bathroom and your bus. So if you're traveling by bus here, take the time to remember your bus- at the least take a moment to recogonize your driver.


Traveling by bus in Korea is a blessing that is seldom overlooked by many people who have had the unfortunate opportunity to crawl slowly around America by the extremely unpopular Greyhound. What is ironic is you even pay more in the states to take a bus. A three hour journey by Greyhound can cost up to 60 dollars, and will get you only a five minute rest stop. In addition, Greyhound is completely lacking in any form of comfort which we are so endowed with in Korea. What a scam! So come live in Suncheon and get a girlfriend in Seoul. That way you can travel in comfort weekly.

A Satisfied Customer

Today is a public holiday. Because of this, I don't have to teach and instead I can spend my time blissfully writing away about my life here in Korea. Life is always good when I have a day off. As life is good today, and since I am in such high spirits, I feel obliged to tell you about some of the things that I like about life in Korea. There are actually many things about the land of Kimchi that I do adore, and kimchi is ironically one of those things. Since there are many positive things, I will share only one with you today. Hence, I will have many nice things to say later, so you can see that there are many positive experiences to have in this otherwise strange place. So with out further delay, it's time to spread the good news.

As I sit here writing on my dependable IBM Think Pad at Tom N' Tom's Coffee in Suncheon , I have to take a break to admire how attractive my latte looks. To the palate it's just an ordinary latte. The taste is average at best, but Koreans aren't famous for the taste of their coffee. Despite the normal taste, it looks much nicer than any drink you would receive from a barista from any of a plethora of coffee establishments in California. The Koreans are the masters of latte foam art. I am actually dumbfounded by how they do it. They won't just make a latte with foam on top; they keep going. When they are finished they are able to maneuver the foam and coffee together in such a way that they can draw pictures on the top of the foam in your latte. Today I have two hearts, which is quite admirable. A little girly for me, but it's what the girls like to make; it's as they would say 'cute.' Although It isn't the best I've seen, it's quite acceptable. Last week I had a latte and the top of the foam had a leaf designed on it. Other impressive works of latte art included a smiley face, and on another occasion I had a very fashionable checkerboard type design. This got me thinking. Would I get this kind of considerate, personalized service back home? Fat chance! In South Korea the host will always try to make you the customer feel important. Sometimes they go through more lengths to make you the customer-who is still a total stranger happy, then I would go through for my own friends. So, as I promised with enthusiasm last week to write a series of blogs about daily life in Korea I like, I think that a good start to that series would be to illustrate the impeccable customer service in Korea.



If you not a coffee person, you by any means will not be alienated. There are countless ways to experience the feeling of being a well-treated guest. For example, if you are at least a pizza person, and if you can manage to come down to Domino's Pizza, or Mr. Pizza downtown, you will be given your pizza as it were a present. They don't just sling a box across the counter and say 'here you are buddy,' as someone in New York would, but they will actually give you a polite bow and carefully hand you a box with a neatly wrapped red bow around it. It actually takes longer to open the box when you get home, but it just makes it more exciting for me. It is in fact like opening a Christmas present. Every day is Christmas here if you like pizza, and they do the same with boxes of chicken too if that's your forte.

So as it stands if you like to be treated well while you order coffee or pizza, then you will be hard up for disappointment. Although the more ubiquitous thing about customer service in this proud nation becomes more transparent when you go to a restaurant. The servers don't really seem that friendly, but you will usually be given upon arrival a couple of side dishes complimented with a pitcher of water. In Korea it's all about the side dishes. Even if you go to the cheapest establishment and buy only a simple rice roll, you will at least get some kimchi and yellow radish-granted it's nothing special if you've lived here a while, but it's nice to realize that it's actually not costing you anything. Although if you are only buying a rice roll, then you have to help yourself to the water. However, If you go a nicer restaurant, the side dishes will be a hundred times better, and you will have so many to chose from that there will be no room left on the table to eat. I usually eat one side dish completely and then use that empty plate to eat my main meal. Space is a scarcity on a table with so many Korean sides. Usually you will get so many that you won't eat at least quarter of them. It gets even better too. Once you finish one plate, and usually no matter how tasty or difficult that dish is to make, you can ask for more of the dish and they will dutifully replenish your empty plate. Weather it's some fish, tofu, vegetable, or in my experience I know a place that made something like an omelette pancake from scratch, which I'll usually request a pancake refill like 3 times, and in every instance it was brought with a cheerful smile.

In light of what was just said, there are many more places to go here where you will feel like you are the most important person in the room. Even when you leave the room and jump in a taxi on your way home you might still be treated like an honored guest. In some instances the taxi driver will offer you gum or candy while he halfheartedly tries to understand your broken Korean. Koreans like to give you free snacks. Even if you are a customer standing in line in a bank or post office you might get you free a yogurt, rice cake, or a cold drink in the summer. It's difficult to live here and not feel special. Living in Korea can be a bewitching experience. Why do I need to bother look in the mirror everyday and tell myself that I'm special? All I need to do is just walk into a cafe and stare in awe at my attractive latte and feel like the most special guy in town.

A Positive Outlook

For many of us life is challenging. There are times when we can not simply just sit back passively and permit life to carry us through like we are children on our father's shoulders riding piggy back through the park. Sometimes life isn't a walk in the park. I have been exhausted lately and have that familiar disconcerting notion most people have after two years in my present situation. Teaching English in Korea at a public school will do that to you. Despite what many people think, teaching English here isn't a walk in the park- and to use another cliche; it ain't no picnic either!

I can expound upon many of the day to day troubles I encounter and you might even be captivated, or at the least be curious to read about life in such a mysterious place. What is even more likely though, is that you would probably be sore for my comments regarding my recent melancholy as a failing teacher in South Korea. Random complaining is easy to do, but the problem is that it doesn't solve anything. So instead, I am not going to complain to you. The reason for this is that I've lived here for a while, and the reason that i've stayed here as long as I have is that there are many interesting things about life here. So instead of babbling like an apathetic record store employee(i've been there,) I'm going to tell you the great things about Korea that I look forwrad to every day.

So stay tuned, because next week I am going to show you that there is always a treasure somewhere, and it's not always buried. For I am a very lucky person to be where I am. I am sure problems are everywhere and as I mentioned we all have challenges in life. It's true that I'm facing them head on , but I just don't want to bother you with it, though I do want to share some good things with you, because it will simply make me feel better. So therefore, read my blog next week-sorry for the shameless plug.