January in a Nutsell.

On Thursday 8th January I was harassed by a drunken creep in my apartment building, which not only put an end to my belief that Korea is a relatively safe place but also reinforced the fact I am simply an English monkey for my hagwon. Christina demonstrated this with her “don’t go outside” reaction and the way in which she has shown no genuine concern for my welfare. I am just glad that I have some good friends both here and at home who helped me through it. Thank you.

Not surprisingly then, 2009 has got off to a very mixed start. I arrived back from Japan on New Years Eve and had a fabulous evening with Viro and Killian in Hongdae. Mexican food in Itaewon, plenty of bottled water and dancing in my trainers to Nobody by the Wondergirls with my favourite South African chica made for good start to the New Year.

After two months of only working 2 hours a day I was actually looking forward to getting a new schedule. It’s just a shame the new schedule has to be changed every five minutes. The new academy is managed by Christina (see previous entries for some of the troubles she has fuelled), and is an all English academy-as in the only subject taught there is English. On the 2nd January there was a meeting to discuss the schedule and plan for the academy. Despite the fact all the teachers, and the manager, speak remarkably good English the entire two hour meeting was in Korean and in order to get any answers I had to quiz Christina repeatedly. When the academy opened the next week one of the teachers had already quit and there has been no search for a replacement for her. Instead the workload has been split between me and Charlie, with Christina popping in to teach the occasional class and to change the schedule to ensure that she can work in the pharmacy unhindered.

It’s a complete joke-on the enrolment day I just sat around greeting children and their parents, who kept asking me questions in Korean…which I couldn’t answer. The manager, yep that’s you Christina, was no where to be found and poor Charlie was expected to deal with everything. From teaching 2 hours a day I am now teaching 7 hours a day, despite being contracted to only work 6-apparently I will get paid extra for the adult class that was sprung on me after (seriously) the last minute. But in order to ensure I don’t suffer from complete exhaustion I am having to fight Christina every step of the way. Those of you with so-called “proper jobs” will be thinking seven hours Jo, don’t strain yourself! But the hours are split throughout the day, and the seven hours does not include preparation and planning time. The adult class is from 10-11 in the morning and I teach the kids from 2.20-8.30pm. In order to make her life easier Christina keeps trying to move my finish time later and later, so I have to keep putting my foot down and explaining that it’s too much work. Those are the time Christina conveniently forgets that she can speak English.

In addition, I am the “conversation” teacher-and resource wise I have just slightly less than bugger all (particularly as the folder of flashcards and worksheets that I spent hours making has mysteriously disappeared) ...The series of books that we do use is the one I had problems with when I was just teaching Angela, Sonia and Branden-the ones that had been mangled though an antiquated translation device. For two of my classes I have “Power Speaking” books which are actually quite useful. But for the others I was initially given reading comprehension books-to teach speaking skills! I have found and adapted a number of educational activities/games…which are much more productive. One in particular cheered me up after the creep in the apartment block incident, and actually stopped me running away to the airport to get the first plane back to England.

The name of the game is Animal Fight Club, and there are only two rules (ok so none of the kids have heard of, let alone seen the movie, but it’s fun for me). Number one, who will win? Number two, why? All the resources you need-flashcards with animals on them and some kids with lots of imagination. Pick two flashcards to get you going and then one of the kids has to decide who will win and why. Depending on the level of the kids you can decide whether their answer is acceptable in terms of grammar, inventiveness, or just based on whether it’s funny or not. Some classics-Monkey vs. Turtle….Andy-the monkey will win because it will shake the turtle out of the shell and then kick it. Hippo vs. Dog….Angela-the dog will win because it will bring a knife to the fight. I love these kids, despite their violent imaginations!

Aside from the fact I get to teach again, I am also getting school dinners-something I had mentioned that I was missing. Apparently though I have to start paying for them, which is strange as it was never an issue when I worked on the third floor, and I know that Paul and Rachel have never had to pay for theirs. But it was a lovely surprise when I discovered that there were some more familiar faces among my students-Jenny and Ann-the grand-daughters of the fabulous cook in my hagwon. Jenny as in my favourite grade one Jenny, and Ann her frequent crier sister-who has thankfully calmed down on the tear front and is actually very bright one-on-one (picture above). It’s a family affair among the students as a family of five siblings (four excellent, bright girls and one funny boy) are spread through five of the classes. Their aunt is………wait for it……Christina. In my youngest class there a cute set of twins (top picture), and their older brother is in one of the more advanced classes that I teach. I am just glad that I will have a good set of kids to say goodbye too when I go home. They have even given me a Korean name-Jo Su Jin (조수진)-which definitely goes with my new haircut!

The other annoyance of January was the cancellation of my internet which occurred “by mistake.” I am still having trouble understanding how you can accidentally ring up an internet company and cancel someone’s connection, but on the plus side I now have both the internet and TV (it’s only been broken since August). Given the month I was having I was starting to think it was a conspiracy to get me to quit, so imagine my surprise when Christina asked if I would fancy staying in Korea. Once I had fully suppressed the urge to laugh I politely declined. Aside from the simple fact I miss people, I think that 12 months will be more than enough. I have loved this whole experience and in some ways hated it, but I am so glad that I have done it.

Next time on the Travels of Jo: ladyboys, massages, Tuk-Tuks, Khaosan Road, lots of shopping…that’s right kids Thailand the Rerun: This Time it’s With Viro!

Jo Does Japan Part Two.

Kyoto. 29th December.

Picking straight up from Part One, the next day I caught the train to Kyoto…eventually. Korea definitely does train stations better than the Japanese. Although the Shinkansen was more comfortable than the KTX, albeit bloody expensive, the lack of helpful English signage meant I needed help to figure out what platform I needed to be on. Aside from the fact the English Tourist Information Centre at Kyoto Station was closed for the holidays, I preferred Kyoto to Osaka immediately.

I checked into the hostel, despite the crappy directions-why do hostels always assume you have a compass or an innate sense of direction-“Get off the bus and walk west.” After dropping off my bag I started checking out the sights straight away. I was waiting at the bus stop when a bus pulled up and the driver asked me where I was heading, I told him Kinkakuji. He told me to get on and then he chased down the bus I needed. The problem was that the bus I needed would pull away just as I got near the doors, but my friendly driver would just let me get back on his bus and we’d try again at the next stop-around 5 stops later I managed to get on the right bus.

Kinkakuji or Rokuon-ji Temple-or the Golden Pavilion, was absolutely stunning. Despite the hoards of people snapping pictures too, I could still envision it being a peaceful and beautiful place. It seems when I am alone I visit lots of temples-case in point Taipei. My next stop was Tenryu Temple, aka the Temple of the Heavenly Dragon (picture above), which again was very beautiful, and visitors have the added bonus of being allowed to see the inside of the temple too. Plus it was my first sighting of women in kimonos! The combination of the stunning garden, brisk cold air, and understated yet picturesque buildings made the experience very lovely-and surprisingly I didn’t really mind the fact I spend most my time in Kyoto in some kind of temple or shrine. Behind this temple there is a bamboo grove where I managed to get a couple of good pictures-including one taken by an old man on his knees. (Bless.) After the bamboo grove though I managed to get very lost, I stumbled across some shrines, found the main road, and then ending up in leafy suburbia-with proper houses, cul-de-sacs, and a very confused Jo. Just as it was getting dark I found the main road again, and managed to find a bus stop and get back into central Kyoto and back to my hostel after going to another closed attraction.

I should mention the vending machines in Japan. I didn’t managed to get any pictures of one, but they are impressive-not just hot and cold drinks in cans-like the ones in Korea, but cigarettes and alcohol too….I tried to imagine a similar thing in the UK and all I could see was baying mobs of teenagers with hoods and crowbars.

Kyoto. 30 December.

This was the day I got snap happy with the camera. I was very lucky with the weather too-it felt like spring and was surprisingly warm, though obviously my warm is your arctic temperatures! I took advantage of the nice weather and walked to the train station from the hostel and popped into my first Temple of the day, Nishi Honganji Temple which was undergoing major reconstruction work.

Kyoto was the imperial capital of Japan for eleven centuries and was devastated on countless occasions by wars, fires, and earthquakes, but the city was spared from the firebombing during the Second World War. As a result it is one of the best preserved cities in Japan, with 2000 Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines, palaces, and gardens. I certainly made it my mission to visit as many of the most famous ones as I could, particularly on this day it seems.

My next stop was Kiyomizu Temple (above and below) which is famous for the fact not a single nail was used in its construction. This is all the more impressive when you consider that the temple is supported by pillars off the slope of a mountain. The views of Kyoto from the veranda were very beautiful and the temple is well used both by locals and tourists. It was also an odd sight seeing Westerners in Kimonos, but each to their own I guess.

The bus system in Kyoto is extremely efficient and easy to use, making sightseeing very simple. I just followed the stops and visited all the sights I wanted, when I wanted. (No, I haven’t got a job for the tourist board of Kyoto) There were two Temples very close to one another that I visited next. Chion-in Temple and Shoren-in Temple. They were both incredible. Chion-in had Koreanesque stairs (it’s all about the stairs) and a massively impressive gate. But I would move into Shoren-in Temple tomorrow if only for the garden (Two pictures below). It once served, briefly, as an imperial palace, and I had it almost entirely to myself. I think being alone for four days had driven me slightly stir crazy, and I had a bit of fun with the 10 second timer on my camera. Good times.

If you have a spare bit of cash, or you just happen to be in the area and want a nice romantic place to visit I recommend the garden at the Heian Jingu Shrine. The beautiful garden definitely served as a friendly reminder of how alone I was feeling. So to cheer myself up, I fiddled around with the ten second timer some more and drained the battery of my camera.

Next, I went to Ginkakuji-or The Silver Pavilion, but I should have turned around at the entrance when I saw the “it’s currently undergoing reconstruction and there is bugger all to see” sign. I then walked around the outside of the Imperial Palace, the park was very much about trees and rocky paths. The sunset through the trees was very fitting though after the day I had. I tried to see some Geishas in Gion but it wasn’t to be, instead couples dressed in Kimonos were being followed by tourists trying to take their pictures as though they were celebrities.

31st December 2008.

I checked out of the hostel, and caught the bus to the airport. I probably could have done a bit more sightseeing but Japan is very expensive and I was pretty content just to chill out at the airport and people watch. From my brief visit to Japan I would definitely want to go back there in the future, but I think I should stop travelling alone. Maybe it’s simply because it was the holiday season but on this trip I was very conscious of how alone I was. It’s not that I am sick of my own company; I think it would just be nice to share the memories with someone else. Still, it’s not everyday you get to be in Japan-unless you are Japanese I guess-and it was a great way to end 2008.

Jo Does Japan Part 1

A last minute booking meant my plans were all very last minute, I wasn’t even able to buy a travel book. Unfortunately, since it was the holiday period I couldn’t find a hostel online in Tokyo, so instead I went to Osaka and Kyoto. It just means (when I have lots of money) I will have to go back to Japan, so it’s not all bad.

Because my flight was at 9:45 in the morning on 27th December I had to spend the night before in a motel in Seoul. For around £15 I got a gorgeous room all to myself, complete with en suite, a computer with access to the internet and a massive plasma screen television, oh and of course it had ondol (under floor heating). For around £15 a night in Osaka I got a tiny room, a TV with no English shows, a foot heater in a room with single glazing (see above)….oh and the website said shared bathroom-I didn’t realise it meant with the rest of the neighbourhood, I mean hostel. It is fairly safe to say that Korean Love Motels (free condoms and bad porn channels anyone!) have slowly destroyed the backpacker in me!

Osaka. 27th December

There are three things you should know about me when I travel. First, I like to plan, or at least have a vague idea of where I am going. This is very difficult without a guide book or in the case of Kyoto when the tourist information centre is closed for the holidays. Second, I don’t like asking strangers to take my picture. It only reinforces the fact I am alone. Third, I don’t like eating out alone. It’s a feeling I am slowly conquering, and if I have a book to read –see the first point-it’s easier to deal with. There probably are other factors too, such as if I can’t sleep I fidget, and I have a tendency to babble if I have been alone for too long. Oh, and I hate asking for directions and I get agitated if I screw up when I am the leader. But hey, no one is perfect.

I had hoped to find a guide book in Osaka so I wasted half a day looking for a book shop (I managed to find a guide book for Germany in Spanish, but nothing relevant for this trip.) When I went back to my hostel that evening there was actually a copy of the Lonely Planet guide there. So I spent the evening copying out the bits I needed into my notebook. I pretty much winged Osaka, which is definitely a new experience for me on the travel front.

After giving up on the quest to find a travel book I hopped on the subway to Osaka Castle (picture above). Like all good castles it had a moat, so I was impressed. Originally built by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, it’s safe to say the castle has been rebuilt a number of times following fire, natural disasters, and the bombings during World War Two. Not as impregnable as he first envisioned I am guessing. There was an interesting museum inside with the obligatory miniatures of “what the castle looked like, probably.” But the real treat was the 8th floor viewing deck where you can see the grounds and the sprawling nature of Osaka, as well as the surrounding mountains. Oh, and a Giant Ferris Wheel. I spent the evening walking in Tenjinbashi-suji, the longest shopping arcade in Japan at 2.6km. I just soaked in the atmosphere and window shopped.

Osaka. 28th December.

My first stop was Tennoji Zoo. In my entry that day I wrote in my journal that “I think I hate zoos.” Although I have to admit I did like the one in Taipei. What can I say, I am a walking paradox. While I appreciate that zoos are often vital in ensuring the survival of many species of animals, I just hate seeing wild animals in tiny, lifeless enclosures being forced to move around for spoilt children and their parents who tap impatiently on the glass. At this zoo one pig had more space than the polar bear, I know the ice caps are melting but that’s doesn’t mean enclosures have to replicate reality (it’s not as if real ice is made of plastic).


My next stop was the park next to the zoo which had an abandoned feel to it in the cold. I saw my first of many Japanese Gardens, and I was very impressed. It was extremely well kept and felt serene and peaceful. The Lonely Planet guide had mentioned when things were closed over the holiday period, so to avoid disappointment I skipped over those entries. Unfortunately, it didn’t mention that the Open Air Museum of Ancient Japanese Farmhouses (hey, I like old things!) was closed, a fact I would have also found out if I had been more observant at the subway station. I guess it was all good exercise though.

I ended the day at the Umeda Sky Building, which has been dubbed a “space age version of the Arc de Triomphe.” It was definitely the highlight of Osaka for me, particularly as I arrived in time for the sunset over the city. There is definitely more individuality in Japanese architecture than in Korea. Plus, spending a couple of hours on the subway made it very apparent that Japanese fashion is a lot more interesting and edgier than Korean fashion-at least in my eyes.

Next stop was Kyoto, as you'll see in Part Two.

Footprints from December.

It has been a while since I opened an entry with a quote-but this one has been very true the last month or so-Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same. (Source-anonymous.) So to all the friends and family who read this, I love you and I am very fortunate that my heart is covered in tiny footprints.


December 2008 saw both a goodbye and a new arrival in Hongseong. Jen has gone back to South Africa, the duck restaurant has gone out of business as a result and many of the taxi drivers wait forlornly outside the apartment block for her. To send her off me and Viro took her to Seoul for one last night out, I acted as the tour guide, and Viro discovered the delights of Myeong-dong. Jen has been replaced at New Briton by Killian, who is slowly recovering from the jet-lag and culture shock and is getting used to the sleepy nature of Hongseong.

I had another month of stability schedule wise-as in only teaching the three one on ones. They kept me very entertained-particularly Sonia with her name plays-
J-Jo Teacher is
O-Old and scary teacher –Original teacher –Orange teacher

S-Sonia is not
O-Old or ugly and she has many
N-Nice friends.
I-Isn’t she kind
A-And lucky?

Since I had no news on my schedule or when my holiday would be exactly (I had been told the third week of January) I paid a visit to Christina. I discovered a whole new academy was opening in January and not a lot else. When I asked her about my holiday (bearing in mind the drama and frustration last time round) she tried to give me New Years Day and Lunar New Year off. These are public holidays in South Korea that not only do I not work anyway but I also get paid to have off. In the end I got Boxing Day, and the 29th to the 31st off. So I spent a frantic evening looking for flights and hostel for-on Monday 22nd December…..and ended up with flights to Osaka, Japan from the 27th-31st December, more on that later.

Christmas Day started with some kids yelling at me in the street-but in a good way! The ringleader had the confidence to say “HELLO” to my face, and the other shouted “hi” to my back, before one said “Merry Christmas!” Ahh bless. The day was spent around Rachel and Paul’s apartment with Viro and Killian. We had Secret Santa, Christmas songs courtesy of youtube, food wise we had mushroom soup, curry, and ice-cream, and we all wore Christmas hats. It was a really lovely day, and it made the fact we were all away from our families that little bit easier. Thank you to all everyone who sent me presents, and I am still cursing Royal Mail for being lame. Despite Skype acting up I managed to speak to my family and briefly to Helen, and all in all it was a great day.