Kids are #1, Logic is #2

Well, I'm back in Seoul/Yeouido for another who-knows-how-long; maybe 2-3 months. Not that I can really complain, as I know many teachers are here for a year or two before they get a chance to get home at all...but you know, I'm a little spoiled.

Coming back I figured the best way to break jet lag was to stay up as late as possible. Usually I'll crash at about 8PM then get up at 2AM-4AM and be like that for the rest of the week. Instead of taking my cherished Singapore Airlines I was on Air Canada which means I got to Seoul on Saturday, not Sunday. Perfect. I called a bud and we went out and had a few beers (after a 2 hour nap). Managed to stay up late enough to sleep til 10AM today and make my lunch date with my father-in-law. Thus, today I think I can bed down at about 11 and then get up at a decent hour Monday morning. If this works I'm planning a series of instructional DVDs and books on "Beating JetLag with Beer".


The boys.

Ok, so I finally downloaded my pics from the week and my son's first birthday. For those who don't know, Korean (first) birthdays are a lot more elaborate than Western ones. They have the usual decorations but also traditional Korean displays (basically food) as well as costumes for the kids (and parents and some guests, sometimes) and the choosing ceremony (the Korean word eludes me now). Basically, the kid will choose from 4-5 items and their choice will determine their future. Some common ones are: thread (long life), bow (will be a warrior), money or rice (will be rich), and/or pen, pencil, book, calligraphy brush (will be a scholar). Nowadays they should put something a little more current on the menu, like a Gameboy or something. As it was, my wife loaded the platter with the scholar items and Winston managed to choose the same as his brother: the calligraphy brush. The video from Spencer's birthday was funny...I thought it was an artist's brush and did a 'dooooogh!' but was relieved when I found out what it really meant. Whew!


Choose wisely, my son.

As you might have guessed, Koreans have a bit of an infatuation with their kids. Being such a competitive society, all parents believe their kids are #1 and they endure and sacrifice a lot to give them everything they need (ya, like going to Seoul to work and having them in Canada to enjoy the fresh air). Anyways, they're actions are fraught with many contradictions as well, like: kids are rarely in carseats, no one wears seatbelts in the back seats of cars, kids are even held in the front seats or (this is unreal) I even saw a mom with her kid in a 아부바 (abuba, backpack carrier) get into her car and drive away. Here's another one (below). Not sure of the logic here, but I can only think that the parents didn't want to disturb the babe in this car so they cracked a window and left it inside! Ya, on a relatively hot day the kid was left in the car. Good thing they came back quickly or I'd a taken a round out of them...forget the safety factor and let's think of what goes through the (looks like 1-year-old) kids head when it wakes up all sweaty in a car alone. Good God!


Hello people, it's a hot day!

Well, feeling a little wiped now so will have to give it a go at blogging more tomorrow. Later.