The Answer is "No."

So in response to my last post, our boss said no.

I can go in with food poisoning. Not call in sick for an entire year. Bust my ass. And not get one day off... three months from now.

Livid.

- Gilad

A Day We've Earned

You know, not for anything, but I feel like Dawna and I are entitled to get a day off three months from now for a few reasons.

1. We're requesting to get a day off three months from now so we can actually book our reserved flights to the Philippines.

2. The day we're requesting off is a testing day... so whoever has to cover our classes wouldn't have to teach... just hand out tests more or less.

3. We've both come to work with the flu, being sick, food poisoning... everything. We've taught screaming kids while having migraines or having to run the washroom to throw up from a nasty flu. We've never called in sick, no matter how painfully sick we've been over the last eight months.

4. We've covered classes for other teachers who have gotten days off, so what's the pain in giving us ONE day off three months from now?

We asked for the day off earlier this week. Dawna told our boss that it was my birthday (which it will be) in July and that this trip will mean a lot to us. She also mentioned how increasingly difficult it is to book a flight in Korea as that's the only time most people in the country get off and everything fills up. Our boss more or less said no. We e-mailed back and let them know it would be a testing day which should lighten up the load for whoever may have to cover our classes. In passing, my boss said he'd consider and get back to me by next week, but followed up with a comment that didn't seem too optimistic.

No offense... but I've never let the company hanging. I've done everything that I've been asked to do and have done so without any outward complaint.

The least we deserve is the day off. If I don't get it, I'll be very mad. Outwardly mad, too. We'll see how that goes.

- Gilad

Of larvae, seafood and pirates.

So over the last few weeks we've done some cool things. We've explored different bits of Korea for different reasons... and I'll talk about a few of those experiences.

Firstly, we went to Jinhae about three weeks ago to check out the cherry-blossom festival. Every year around this time, Korea flourishes with tons and tons of cherry-blossoms and it's really beautiful. Jinhae is home to the cherry-blossom festival and that's where we went.

Also, before I show the pictures, I just wanted to mention how Koreans eat Silkworm Larvae as a snack. We frequently see vendors on the street boiling these little guys and the smell really throws both Dawna and I off... but we've remained curious this whole time... so we decided to give it a shot.

Anyway... pictures and such:


Dawna and Alex.


The cherry blossoms blooming.


Beeeeeeeeeeeeautiful.


Up-close.


And now... the silkworm larvae.


Dawna trying it out... she clearly likes it.


My turn. Kinda had the texture of liver... and the taste of uh... poop. Not good at all.


What a silkworm actually looks like... when it's actually born... and not larvae.


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And then there was our late night random expedition to Busan. We went to a tiny carnival first where we enjoyed (Dawna and Alex wouldn't use that word) a ride... then went to a fish market, picked out whatever fish we wanted to have, and watched it get butchered in front of us. We then ate the fresh (raw) seafood on Haeundae beach... and it was awesome.


At the festival... an Asian pirate? What?


Jung, Alex and Dawna. Jung was the architect of this night as he put it all together randomly.


Taken from the ride... a view of the bridge at Haeundae beach at night.


On the Viking ride. I thought it was quite boring... but Dawna was pooping herself.


Might gross you out... but had to take a picture. Someone clearly missed the squatter toilet. Noticeably.


Guess we're having live octopus again...


Our assortment of raw seafood... alive just a few minutes ago.


The fish market at Haeundae beach in Busan.


Picking out our dinner.


Butchering the live octopus. Notice how it still moves even after it's dead.


Eating on the beach at night... Dawna shows how it's done... too bad the battery on the camera had to die.


- Gilad

Doctor Fish

So nearly two weeks ago, Dawna, Alex, Mallessa and I went to the nearby neighboring city of Changwon. Changwon is a newer city than Masan with lots more to do. Among that long list of things to do includes an interesting coffee/tea shop called Dr. Fish. We've heard from tons of people about this place and had to check it out, so we did.

What is it that makes Dr. Fish so interesting? Well, it has nothing to do with the drinks or snacks they serve, but rather, it's the experience. While there, you take your shoes and socks off, kick back in a comfy couch and relax with your feet in a small tub filled with water and fish. WATER AND FISH? Yes... water and fish. You see, at Dr. Fish, you stick your feet in this tub of fish and they feast off the dead skin and calousses on your feet. I will assure you that it's super weird at first and after a while, it still remains extremely weird but more bearable.

Definitely an experience and one I'd recommend for any other people in Korea.


The fish feasting off my neanderthal-looking feet.


Chomping on Dawna's feet.


Mallessa's initial reaction... hilarious.


They especially loved Mallessa's feet.


A little used it now... but still weird.


Definitely an experience...


- Gilad

Oh God, it's been nine days!

... since we've updated the blog! I swear... pictures and videos to come up soon... and good ones too.

- Gilad

The things I want to do before I go...

Here's a list off the top of my head of things I still want to do before I leave Asia.

1. Go back to Seoul.
2. Visit Gyeongju (the old, old, old former capital of South Korea)
3. Visit the beaches in Busan a hundred times.
4. Try other Korean dishes.
5. Hike the mountain in Masan again.
6. Visit other cities in Korea.
7. Learn the Korean alphabet.
8. Explore more coffee/tea shops.
9. Possibly do a temple stay.
10. Go to Busan more often.

Here are a list of things I would want to do but don't have the time or means to:
1. Go to China.
2. Visit North Korea.
3. Go to Jeju-do (Korean island about an hour flight from here.)

Things I want to do that are not at all related to Asia:
1. Keep up going to the gym.
2. Fix my guitar.
3. Have a full-time job ready for me for when I return to Toronto.
4. Have an apartment ready for me for when I return to Toronto.
5. Buy more clothes.
6. Get a pair of converse shoes.
7. Teach my dogs more tricks.


Ah, the wonders of having a few too many breaks in one day...

- Gilad

New Blog Link

Over there on the left, you'll find a link to blogs we visit. Just added a new one for our friend, Alla.

She's got some good stuff in there... give it a look.

- Gilad

Irony.

A day after posting that epic story about "8650," the empire has crashed. Ironically, that blog post marks the farewell of the streak as today, at roughly 1:50pm (Korean Time), I had to wipe my student's bum.

The culprit? Nicky. Little Nicky.

Here he is:


8650 days is yours now, sweet prince. All yours.

- Gilad

Spelling Test

Too good to pass up. A recent spelling test taken at our school.

The correct spelling is:
1. backpack
2. eraser
3. sick
4. happy
5. listen
6. count

Tom got two wrong. Check it out.




- Gilad

An Ongoing Streak... Ended?

8650. What does this represent? Well, a few things.

For starters, it represents the number of days I've been alive for. But that's petty compared to what it actually stands for: The number of days I've survived on this earth without having to wipe anybodies butt but my own.

I have lots of pride in this. Although Dawna's streak was put to a screeching halt in the dying days of last week, I have somehow managed to teach kindergarden students for 7+ months and escape the demon that exists in wiping their butts.

Of course, things had to get a little more difficult. I've recently gotten smaller, younger kids who are incapable of lowering their pants when they have to pee (had to do this for them... so that streak is gone) so one can only imagine how much more incapable they are of wiping their butts post-poo.

I used to wake up each and everyday with a smile on my face -- knowing that my streak was safe and alive. However, something has changed. I don't sleep as well. I have nightmares. Although I can't see it, I know that there exists a giant brown cloud hovering over me... watching me... as if to say, "Hey, You're Next!" I've done fairly well with avoiding the confrontation but at the same time, I'm beginning to realize that the inevitable is inching closer... and closer... and closer.

Tick...
Tock...
Tick...
Tock...

Until today. There I am, in the first half of my kindergarden class when one of the little boys looks up at me and mutters something in Korean. At the time, I was holding up a green crayon and hoping for him to say "Green." He doesn't say green. He says something in Korean... which I don't understand... and assuming he had incorrectly answered my question of "What color is this crayon," I just respond with.. "No, you're wrong." After a few minutes, he starts to squirm, hold his stomach... and keeps saying the same word. I'm thinking "No, seriously... kid... this is green... no need to get so upset" until I realize something awful. He's not talking about colors here. He's the one. He's the one that's going to destroy my streak. 8650 hangs in the balance of a three year old.

So we rush to the washroom and I help him take his pants off... and he hops onto the toilet. I'm panicking and thinking that I haven't really had the chance to give my streak the proper farewell it deserved. How could it end this way... with no warning? So as I'm sitting there waiting for him to finish, I realize that I have a classroom full of little kids that need tending to. So I leave Tony in the stall, head back to class only to see Nicky, another boy, mutter the same word. Oh god. He needs to poo as well. I guess if I'm going to go down... I'm REALLY going to go down. How could this be? I'm a good person... I've done good things in my life. The least I deserve is preparation... or a warning of some sorts to let me know that this golden streak is going brown.

So I take Nicky to the washroom, help him take his pants off... and he sits on the toilet. Him and Tony... partners in crime. Two three year olds who must work together to take me down. I'm panicking... freaking out... don't know what to do. "It's over" I think and sulk. I head to the hallway, crouch up against the wall with my head in my lap and sadly accept the inevitable: I will wipe two bums and this streak is over. I'll have to start another one.

So much work. All down the toilet... literally. I guess I'm alone here.

... until I look up and see the Korean kindergarden teacher. And although she can't speak English... and I can't speak Korean... we both know one thing. She's my savior... she's not only here to protect my fingers... but she's here to protect my streak.

And so I parade back to my kindergarden class, smile as wide as the pacific... and I know that my streak is safe for another day.

8651, here I come.

Amen.

- Gilad