Eh.

This post may be more introspective than most, but I've been spending quite a bit of time inside so I suppose my explorations will follow suit. I find that I rarely think I am ready to experience things or take on new roles until I'm actually doing them. A sort of self-propelled trial by fire. I almost have to approach situations with my eyes closed and dukes up in order to avoid complacent idleness. I could surmise where this comes from, but that would be a colossal waste of time. Anyway, I was thinking about my impending Japan trip: how I'm going to a different country that I know virtually know nothing about (anything practical) and how I came half way across the world to pursue a profession that I had little experience (although I certainly do now) and how I'm planning on traveling Europe post-haste after my contract is finished. But the funny thing is, with all of these uncharted experiences and responsibilities, none of this scares me. Well...perhaps a little, but not merely as much as it should--not nearly as much as it scares the people around me out of empathy. This is sort of ill-conceived, overzealous, blind barreling routine will probably fail me eventually, but as for now, it ain't broke.

As for my town, it has been a little over a month and honestly, I'm sort of bored with the place. It isn't that I hate it; I've just run out of ostensible things to do. The bars here are rubbish, but then again, I never really was much for bars. The pool halls are filled with smoke, middle-aged men and teenagers. All of them burning holes through my white mug and quietly muttering to themselves, "What is he doing here? Contractor or English teacher. Yeah. English teacher. He's too young to make that kinda money. His face is too affable for a hard-nosed German businessman." Believe me. This sort of thought process is more than speculative. This came straight from the mouths of babes--nay--brats.

Recently, my schedule has lightened up. School ended on Wednesday, so I only have to teach the kids who actually want to be there. Excellent. Out of a school of 1,200+ kids, only about 20 signed up. Divided into 6 classes a day by 2 teachers. I teach from 12:10pm to 3pm everyday and it is absolutely brilliant. Added bonus- the classes are strictly conversational and we talk about whatever the 3 boys in each class want to talk about. No lesson planning. No curriculum. No Powerpoint presentations. Just extemporaneous conversation and Youtube. Ah, the internet. How you have made us all immeasurably lazy, yet interconnected. You have taken the nerves out of dating, the planning out of lesson planning, and the unprofessional professional look professional. I'm also being paid extra for doing these classes because they are supplemental (yet, required for me to teach) and not part of the regular school year.

I will be going to Seosan tomorrow probably and I'll update you more after the weekend. Goodnight and good riddance.