More good food

Got together with a new language exchange partner. Dinner at a traditional Korean restaurant (i.e. I sat on the floor). That's Pork Galbi (돼지갈비) in the center on the built in grill. Typical array of side dishes.

Readers will probably think I weigh 300 pounds but in fact I think I've lost weight since I came to Korea. Most of the dishes are probably pretty low in calories and eating with chopsticks, particularly unfamiliar metal ones, really slows me down.

Not a bad day

Happens it's my birthday. Made it through another year.

While I didn't really party hearty I did get together with some folk. My new language exchange partner invited me to meet with her and her English study group. A bit of an adventure finding the place but I met her at the 중앙파출소 Jungang Pachulso or Central Police Station (which caused some concern when I mentioned to someone else that was where I was going). Just some friendly conversation and coffee with some interesting people.

In the evening  my other language exchange partner and her friend helped me shop for some things. I picked out a microwave oven, a sort of toaster oven (they don't have toaster ovens in Korea like they do in the US), and an iron. Didn't buy them because it was raining and we wanted to get some dinner. We went to a traditional Korean porridge restaurant because I'm still babying my stomach a bit. All the food on my tray cost 8,000 won, about $7.

All in all not a bad way to spend my birthday.

One month gone.

One month plus. Hard to believe. I lost some time by being sick but it still seems time flies.

Finally got around to going out for drinks with several of my colleagues. Had some grilled food (yes that's a charcoal grill) and possibly too much beer and later some fermented rice wine. Quite tasty.

Not generally much of a drinker but I'm not a sworn teetotaler either. I'll probably feel this in the morning :). And I'm making some friends at least.

Things go well enough. I'm reasonably healthy again (knock wood). Students seem OK (I only have four) and one is actually quite promising. Gradually getting on top of my classes. I've managed to cope with the university bureaucracy so far (haven't p.o.'d the higher ups at least).

Not really knowing the language is a barrier, of course but I get by. Smile and say "Hello" (안녕하세요), "thank you" (감사합니디) smile, nod, and write things down in a little notebook. Need to sort out the food (red pepper paste is not a staple for me) and find a few more things.

Getting around

This is the first time in over thirty years that I have not had a car and have relied on public transportation.
My first mode of transportation is is by foot. I'll spare you a picture of my legs. I walk a lot more here than I did in the States and my legs and feet were a bit sore for awhile until I adapted. There are a large number of small shops and restaurants within easy walking distance.
Taxis are plentiful, easy to flag down and relatively inexpensive. Base fare is 2200 Won (under $2 and from the university to my place it's about $3600, just shy of $3) Taxi drivers can usually (not always) find their way to where I want to go.
Taking the bus is the most convenient way to get to work. Walk a couple blocks and wait at the bus stop.  Bus fare is under a dollar. Bus rides are not exactly smooth. Buses weave their way through traffic as if they were sports cars. One of these days I expect I'll end up on my butt on the floor. I do have to watch carefully for my exit as the announcements are in Korean and a bit difficult to hear in any case.

Daegu has two subway lines -- I'm near line two. Probably the best choice for going downtown or across town. Fare is also under a dollar. A taxi downtown is about 15,000 won and I end up breathing exhaust fumes. That's bad for my allergies. The downside of taking the subway is the distance between stations and the stairs. The trains themselves are quite nice. Well maintained and a smooth ride.
The subway is also good for visiting the HomePlus department store. It's only one stop away from my apartment and actually has its own exit.

Shopping

One of the things that I've found interesting here in Korea is the number of small shops and street vendors. Walking out from my apartment there's a little corner shop where I frequently buy small items and heading up the street there's a bakery, dry cleaners, hair place, butchershop, another hair place, and home HomePlus Express (small chain store) and a bunch of little restaurants and take out places. This is a somewhat busier street near my place.

There are also many fruit and vegetable stands. Some are just a few bins of fruit or vegetables others, like this one, are larger.

All this helps make for a busy and bustling street life something one does not see much of in the United States where most small stores have moved to malls of one form or another. This may be because the US is oriented towards the automobile and Korea is still oriented towards pedestrians and public transportation.

So, I've been sick

I've had a stomach bug for the past week and a half. One of the things that happens when one moves to a new place I guess. I think I'm gradually recovering and will be glad when I can actually eat non-bland food. Not fun.

No, I don't know what I ate or drank that caused it. Yes, I did see a doctor, when I went in for my employment physical (you will be pleased to know that I do not have HIV, VD, or Hepatitus A). My eyes were not great (problems with allergies). I'm actually slightly color blind (they must do more thorough tests -- that's never turned up before). Something or another was somewhat elevated but the doctor suggested it was because of my ongoing stomach issues.

Why am I here?

Why am I living in South Korea now? A fairly obvious question to which I have a menu of answers:

• I work here. In academia one moves where the work is.
• It's my midlife crisis. Everyone knows the pattern. A person becomes discontent with their job and life and goes somewhere else. New job, new wheels, new love life. Well, I have the job. My new wheels are Bus 527 and it's kin (they have chauffeurs), and as for new love life -- a gentleman does not discuss such matters.
  
• Why now? I really was not happy where I was and given that the Young Person is off in college and living her own life when I decided to go job hunting I decided to broaden my horizons just a bit.
• Why South Korea? It was one of several options. The universities there are trying to diversify, I probably won't get kidnapped and beheaded, I'm generally comfortable enough with Asians. I do have a Korean friend which is more than I can say for the UAE or Hong Kong. And, did I mention, they offered me a job
  
• Karma. It's hard to explain but I feel there is something a bit strange about this whole Korea thing.
  

Introduction

I'm not sure how successful this will be. I'm a notoriously slow writer (which is a bad thing for an academic) and it's difficult for me to come up with ideas.

But Sensei said she'd be interested in reading it so I shall give it a try.

I teach computing -- variously Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Information Technology. I've taught in several different universities over the (many) years and am currently teaching in Daegu, South Korea (more on that later). Just your regular academic workhorse. Not particularly famous or distinguished. I enjoy teaching, at least on good days. Like most jobs it involves a certain amount of drudgery and some discomfort (dealing with what we call "academic irregularities" especially).

Yes, I am a strange person. Many academics are. According to my latest psychological profile I could win a gold medal for weirdness.

That will do for a start. More later.