A Day In The Life

As time goes on, you get a little more comfortable with your surroundings. I've managed to get a good handle on my job to a point where I know what I'm doing, allowing me to be more carefree. This week at work I started sketching during some down time and one thing lead to another. The end result was a cartoon of a typical day in class. It shows a teacher in a Korean classroom where the students are shouting the things that they yell every time you see them.


Allow me to give a little explanation to the quotes that you're reading on the image. My students constantly call me fat, not enough to break my self esteem though. They love blue eyes and it always impresses them when I open my eyes real wide. I think they believe anyone that doesn't have black hair and black eyes is handsome. Or when I announce a homework assignment they'll shout that I'm handsome to try and get out of it, it doesn't work. The kids always want to play games and they'll let you know during the whole class. 진짜 (pronounced chin-cha) translates to "really?", picture yourself saying it in a disappointed fashion. Whenever students are done with an in class assignment they will get your attention by saying "finish-ie", always with the "ie" sound at the end of it, I make fun of them because of it. Their hobbies or anything they do that is entertaining is never just "fun" it's always "funny" and the younger students apparently hope everyday is sunny. All students have cellphones equipped with a dictionary for all those tough words to figure out, they always ask before using them. Daily Bridge is a detention for the misbehaved students, I would threaten them with this by writing their names on the board, after two checks you're staying late. 김 아담 (pronounced kim ah-dahm) translates to "kim adam", my giving Korean name from some students and I'm delicious. Also, I'm constantly teaching kids how to write essays, they'll get it one day.

Locked Love and Lasting(?)

Could you think of a better way to show your affection for someone than climbing a mountain 262 meters, tackling great feats with your lover to lock up a lock on a mountain, signifying a binding of each other together forever and throwing away the key to symbolize that you're locked in and will never be apart? Well yeah, I'm sure you probably could think of a more original way to do something of the sort. But many couples flock to South Korea's 남산 (Namsan; or South Mountain) to bind a love between them to ensure its existence.















When I say "many couples", I'm underestimating it. Hundreds and hundreds of locks are left dangling from the gates that protect visitors from slipping off the edge. All inscribed in sharpie with devoted words of dedication. An overwhelming amount of lovebirds from around the world looking for a secure sense of romance. This comes as no surprise but the mountain does not hold any mystical powers of establishing an enduring love, as I've read, the management has actually witnessed repeat offenders at the mountains surface trying their luck again to lock in with a different mate.

However, even if you're living the single life these days the mountain still provides something that you may be proud of doing on your own or with friends. The North Seoul Tower stands high on this particular mountain and offers relief from the rushing buses and crowded walkways of downtown. Being 479 meters above sea level at its peak, spending the 8,000 Won for the elevator ride to the third floor observation deck of the tower will bestow on you a view of central Seoul that leaves you in awe. Day or night standing atop gazing at the urban Korean life down below as the city folk sit, drink their Soju and chew their samgyeopsal. You stand there over millions of people with your imagination in gear creating stories for the dwellers under you.