How to Stay Cool in the Seoul Heat

(My house in Seoul, Korea)

HOT.

1 pm. I finish teaching my level 1 English class here in my air-conditioned institute. I take the elevator down to the first floor, walk through the lobby to the glass doors and open them. The torrent of heat hits me instantly, riping off my flesh and searing my clothes to my burning body.

It's July in Seoul. 29 degrees Celsius with intense humidity. It feels almost as hot as last summer in Seville, Spain, where it was 40 C and Greg and I had to walk 20 mins to our hostel with full heavy backpacks on. I almost died then, and according to most of my Korean friends, I might also die this summer.

Not wanting to die, I have compiled a list of Things Koreans Do To Stay Cool in the Seoul Summer:

1. Buy an air-conditioner. Yeah, Steve and I were thinking of buying one, but not only are they not good for the environment, they are expensive. The used shop sells a small air-conditioner for 300,000 won - er... $300. Not quite worth it for one air-conditioner for only two months of HEAT. We'd also fight over who's room gets the cold air!
2. Buy a fan. Aha! That we did! Yesterday, we each bought an electric oscillating stand-up fan (mine was $35). I cannot convey the bliss I am experiencing siting in front of the fan and feeling the blown air cool the sweat of my face...
3. Buy a hand fan. I could and I might, but I haven't yet. I used to have a small battery fan I used while traveling Europe many years ago... hmmm, I miss that fan.
4. Eat ice cream. On almost every corner here in my area of Seoul - Sinchon, there are corner stores (7-11, By The Way, Mini-Mart, and countless other family-run ones). Each one sells a wide variety of delicious ice cream, which I have been gluttonously indulging in.
   
5. Go to the beach. The nearest beach in one hour away on the outskirts of Seoul near the airport - Inchon. I have yet to go there. My favorite beach is 4 hours away in Busan, on the south coast of Korea. Beautiful. I'll probably go back there in August.
   
6. Go to a mud festival. Specifically, the Boryeong Mud Festival happening this weekend! I am planing on checking it out this weekend, so I'll let you know how it goes. The cooling high-quality mud with refresh this cooked human....
   
7. Live at work. YBM, my school, is completely air-conditioned and cold. If I brought in blankets, I could theoretically live there indefinitely! Think about it - no commuting to work!
   

So there we go. How I am going to stay cool in the hot summer Seoul heat.

Oh, one more point I forgot: Live at the movie theater - and watch The Dark Knight, opening next week! Definitely my most anticipated movie this summer. Make sure you catch it! "I am Batman."

Seoul Life - Day 2

------48 hours since my arrival in Seoul.-------

In a word: Amazing.

My life:

5:45am - Walk up to one of my two alarm clocks (I cannot sleep in). Fall out of the bed in my hotel (called a "love hotel" because of the "love" that often occurs within) and stumble to the tiny but surprisingly western toilet. After getting ready, I walk up a floor, meet Steve, and leave the hotel.

6:15am - Walk across the back alley to the convenience store and purchase a rice roll and yogurt for breakfast. Walk 30 seconds to the back of the School.

6:25am - Enter the school and prepare for my first classes.

7:00am - First class. Level 2. 6 sleepy business people. I realize the hardest part of the job will be remembering names (Heoug Ji or Ji Heoug or Jeoug Hi or Hi Jeoung. or Jimmy...)

8:00am - Second class. Level 2. Younger group of 8 more awake Koreans.

9:00 am - Break until 11am, which is a level 1 class with one student for two hours. Quite a long class...

1pm - Big break. 6 hours to sleep, eat, explore. Yesterday, Steve and I walked from our home base of Shincheon to the Han River, 3 subway stops away.

6:45pm - Return to work for 7pm and 8pm class. More names I cannot remember. Quite tired now.

9pm - School is over and you have the option of SLEEP or go out. Last night, we went out and met Steve's friend GiSu at a Bar in Hongik called the Crazy Monkey. Food was amazing and a strange "happy birthday" song erupted (a different version of Happy Birthday, but in English).

1am - Return home by subway and fall into bed. Watch hilarious Korean TV for 1 sec before falling asleep.

Luckily, I had set my alarm clocks. And so the cycle continues....

The weekend is looking mighty tempting right about now!

New Job!

Alright!

After a month or so of searching, I have found a job teaching English in South Korea. The contract begins late November, with my first class on Dec 1st. I will be teaching adults (a skill I have no experience with) in the Sinchon area in Seoul.

My friend Steve Wade is joining me on this quest, and apparently (as he has lived in Seoul before) Sinchon is the best place to live. It is a young University area with cool bars and lots of fun things to do. Imagine a cross between Kits and the West End.

It pays well and is a large reputable private school. I have yet to officially sign the contract (they are sending it to me here), so specific details will come later. Keep an eye here for stories and tales of my immersion in Korean Culture!

On that note, I am putting the word out that anyone who wants to come and visit is welcomed with open arms. Are you passing from China to Japan? Or England to New Zealand? Or Canada to Mexico? Come on over!

Take care and I want to see you soon, once more before I go.

Cheers!

Contract?

Well, Steve and I are in talks with a reputable company in Korea. I'm not going to mention the name here, just in case it falls through. We have been sent a sample contract that looks good. We like it and have are keen to sign.

It is teaching adults English in a cool area of Seoul called Shinchon, apparently a fun university local. Should be fun.

Check back here, as I am hoping things progress quickly and I will be able to plan the next month.

Watch this space!

No job news yet...

Hello Blogworld,

No Korean job yet. Had a good interview with a reputable company in Seoul, but they don't have any open positions yet. The effort in trying to find work (hundreds of emails sent, websites searched, and phones interviewed... er.. phone interviews) is beginning to stain on me. I hope something picks up soon...

Work on my un-named film project is going very well though. More on this later...