Long Way Round
Nobody said it was easy

I just watched the best documentary ever called Long Way Round. Ewan McGregor and his friend Charley ride around the world on motorcycles and it's all filmed. They went from London to New York (with a little help in some areas in Siberia and of course, Russia to Alaska). It's a series (7 or so hour long episodes) and it's super addicting. Honestly, it's really good and I'd recommend you all see it! Even if you don't adore Ewan (how could you not?) or care about motorcycles (I don't). It's funny. There were a few times where Ewan said Obi Wan quotes (from the old and new films) and that was great. They had a really tough time in Mongolia and Siberia (horrid conditions) and thay's when Ewan said, "Nobody said it was easy." While Coldplay was playing in the background. :) He thens says something about the really trying moments are the ones you'll really look back on as real accomplishments, etc. As cheesy as it sounds, it reminded me of me being here in Korea. Being completely honest, I'm hating it here, but I know that once it's over and I'm home it will be cool to look back at it and know I lived a year in South Korea. Huh. So go watch it. It's really good. I was seriously watching it with unbridled enthusiasm and excitement and mirth. I'm a dork.

Speaking of that show and Korea, apparently it's thought that Koreans are descended from Mongols. In the show, they go through Kazakhstan and Mongolia. I actually thought that the Kazakh people (Kazakhstanians?) looked a lot like Koreans. The Mongolians did a bit too, but not as much as the Kazakhstanians. Actually, the Kaz people looked like the lighter skinned Koreans and the Mongolians looked like the darker complexioned Koreans. Plus, lending creedence to the Kazakhstan connection, in the series they [Ewan and Charley] went to get a "massage" at a spa in Kazakhstan. They proceeded to get the crap beat out of them and said it was the most painful massage ever. It looked and sounded like the same damn massage I got in that spa here in Korea. Ouch.

There was this article in the news entitled, Bush Using Straw-Man Arguments in Speeches. It totally brought me back to learning about fallacies in my reading class in high school. It was especially humorous as it was my and Bidisha's favorite fallacy. "Straw-Man!! Hahahaha!!!" I always got it a little confused with Glittering Generalities. Man, fallacies. Gotta love 'em.

School Annoyance Update! When Sosabul Attacks! Korea-Gate! Why can't I think of the hilarious stupid labels news organizations name every incident that occurs?? Please, if you can think of them (Liz, I'm counting on you) please post them in the comment section. I think I'm gonna make an icon for it and use it whenever I need to bitch about my school. So it'd get used often. But anyway, sans icon, here is my bitch:

So, because I was teaching 26 student hours my school said I'd only have to teach 1 teacher class a week. Which was 1 more than I'd like. So today my co-teacher tells me, "Next month your schedule will be different. You will only have 22 student hours. Then you will also have 2 teacher classes a week and 2 training classes a week." Crap-o-la. Son of a bitch. Fan-friggin-tastic. I would SOOOO much prefer student classes to teacher classes. I'd teach 30 student classes if it meant no teacher classes. Then I'm thinking (as you all may be as well), "What the hell are training classes?" So I ask. I still don't know, but I think they are just teacher classes but it will be teaching teachers from other schools in Pyeongtaek. So that's 4 nights a week I'll have to stress about planning teacher classes. Shoot me, please. And $100 says that it will extend my day so I'll not get home until after later than I should. I think I'm just going to use a stupid English textbook/workbook and not plan anything myself. And if they don't like that, they can screw themselves. Or teach their own damn selves English. I don't think any of this is at all negotiable as it's not my school demanding this, it's the Pyeongtaek Educational Office. I hate them.

One of the native English teachers in Pyeongtaek broke his contract and left after 6 months (not from UW). I think it's because Korea sucks, but official word is that it's because he had a lot of health problems. So now my school is paranoid about my health. This is how that comes across: harassing me to go to the hospital over idiotic things (I'm not Korean, I don't go to the friggin' hospital because I have a slight cough). It also manifests itself in harassing me to eat foods that they deem healthy that I deem disgusting. For example, I had to go out to dinner with the 6th grade teachers and the principals tonight. Half the meal was some seafood platter (spicy tentacles and other sea creatures with shells). My co-teacher knows I don't like seafood. However, she kept shoving it in my face and telling me to, "Just try it" over and over again. I DON'T LIKE IT. I AM NOT GOING TO EAT IT. QUIT TREATING ME LIKE I'M YOUR 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. It was really pissing me off. I stuck to my guns and refused to eat it. Man.

Ok, I think that's all I (and maybe you) can handle right now. I shall leave you all in peace. I have to go to bed soon. And dry my hair. And brush my teeth. And pee. Anyeong hi kyeseyo!