Cold to Hot: Change Coming

Life Update: This weekend was busy with seeing DJ Shadow in Hongdae on Friday, going to my first Korean wedding on Saturday, and meeting Remi from Vancouver on Sunday!

Things are starting to fly by a lot faster. It is officially two weeks from today that I leave Seoul and Korea and move on to the next chapter of my life.

I have finally bought tickets to Hong Kong, Thailand and Cambodia for three weeks before Christmas, so on December 2nd, I say goodbye to Korea and hello to South East Asian travel!

Then, as of December 22nd, I will return home to Vancouver - teaching and looking for an apartment. Fun.

On another more immediate note, it has suddenly and without warning become very cold. The walk to work here in Sinchon was a tough one with the freezing wind and flying ginkgo leaf attacks. Apparently, we may see snow on Thursday!

Thailand beaches sound extra inviting today. I'll keep you posted...

Seoul's Zombie Walk

Two weeks ago...
... the Dead began to rise from their graves...
... and took a stroll through Seoul.

"It's close to midnight and something evils lurking in the dark,
Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart,
You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it,
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes,
You're paralyzed.

Cause this is thriller, thriller night,
And no ones gonna save you from the beast about strike.
You know its thriller, thriller night,
You're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight.

You hear the door slam and realize there's nowhere left to run,
You feel the cold hand and wonder if you'll ever see the sun,
You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination,
But all the while you hear the creature creepin up behind,
You're out of time.

Cause this is thriller, thriller night,
There ain't no second chance against the thing with forty eyes.
You know its thriller, thriller night,
You're fighting for your life inside of killer, thriller tonight.

Night creatures call,
And the dead start to walk in their masquerade,
Theres no escapin the jaws of the alien this time
(they're open wide)
This is the end of your life.


They're out to get you, there's demons closing in on every side,
They will possess you unless you change the number on your dial,
Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together.
All through the night I'll save you from the terror on the screen,
I'll make you see.


That this is thriller, thriller night
cause I can thrill you more than any ghost would dare to try,
Girl, this is thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a killer, diller, chiller
Thriller, here tonight.

Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize yawls neighbourhood
And whosoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpses shell
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grizzly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Below:
Micheal Jackson's "Thriller" performed by prison inmates. Increadible...

I'm getting a little excited here...

Whew! It's been a busy month here in Seoul-land! And there is so much to look forward to!

My roommate Steve's Mom has been visiting us for the last week which means I've been hitting the tourist attractions of Seoul hard. (Actually, Steve is doing most of the showing around - I mean, she is his mom!) Anyway, we've explored Namdaemun Market - in search of Halloween paraphernalia, and hiked Bukhansan Mountain, a respite from the urban forest (Check back soon for PHOTOS and a more in depth look at these popular Seoul spots!)

Looking to the future, life only gets more exciting - You may have noticed the poster for Seoul's first-annual ZOMBIE WALK 2008, happening this Saturday! The brainchild of my friend Bobby (and seconded by your's truely - "Let's do it!"), the Zombie Walk will celebrate all things Halloween and UnDead. We will all meet around 4pm at Ewha University (the local women-only uni) and then walk to Hongik University (Hongdae = student party central, where there are literally hundreds of bars and clubs - my usual Friday night hangout!)


Oh yeah, and we are all dressed as zombies. We expect over 40 people to join our dead-shuffle, creating an unforgetable impression on the local Korean population! (My Korean friends, by the way, think this is the most insane and crazy thing to do - as it goes against the social norms of not standing out. Do I expect the police to show up? Maybe. Will we be on the news? Maybe...hehehe) Again, photos will come soon!

Besides the z-walk, I am also looking forward to my planned trip to Tokyo the weekend after next. My good friend Taka says I can stay with him in Yokohama and I'll take the train in to see Tokyo. I am also planning to meet another friend Naoko (someone I worked with at the Lookout.)

Furthermore, besides zombies and Godzillas, I am also looking forward to Bond, James Bond. Yes, Quantum of Solace, the new Bond film (and direct sequel to Casino Royal) comes out here on November 5th!

Yup, there's alot on my plate, and I like it like that.

Oh, and readers, what is a "quantum of solace" anyway?

Merry Chuseok Everyone!

This weekend is the traditional thanksgiving Korean holiday of Chuseok!

It is a time where traditionally everyone returns to their hometown (an important concept - where you were born affects your status and creates instant friends) in a mass exodus turning Korea into a giant traffic jam.

It is a time to show respect to grandparent and elders, to visit family graves, and to enjoy a meal of traditional Korean food with one's family.

Sounds wonderful, but in reality (as my students have complained to me) it is the women of the family who spend the holiday buying, preparing, cooking, and serving the meal while the men relax and play cards. And watch TV.

While this is changing with the younger generation, this is the traditional division of labour. It makes sense that many Korean women hate Chuseok.

Time to play some cards! Happy, er... Merry Chuseok!!!

Oh, we were fortunate enough to be invited to Chuseok dinner by our good friend Hong! So expect a post confirming/disputing what my students said!

Also expect a post soon on my adventure into North Korea!

All this and a bag of cats coming soon!

The State of the Nation at 30

(Better late than never! I blame the birthday festivities and liquids for the lateness of this post!)

As I have just turned 30, I feel it is time to sit down and take stock of my life and where I am. A sort of "state of the nation" to consolidate where I've been and where I am going. The State of the Peter, if you will...

What better place to host such an indulgence is there than on this blog. Read it if you want, or skim through all the pictures. It allows me to put it all 'on paper' before jumping into my third decade. So, without further ado, let's begin...

Where I've been.

Vancouver:

I have had a privileged life growing up in Vancouver with loving parents and sister. I am what they, and my extended family, have made me. I am also shaped by my friends - from school, university, work - here and abroad. I owe these people everything!

After becoming obsessed with dinosaurs at the age of five, I pursued a career in palaeontology by taking classes in geology and biology at the University of British Columbia. Before graduating with a Geology degree, I realized that a life in science - researching and publishing - was not for me. So with the completion of my science degree and much soul (and career) searching, I decided to become a teacher - elementary and high school.

One year later, I was a qualified teacher and began teaching as a substitute teacher in North Van....

. . .

Hmm..... This is beginning to sound like a job interview. Boo!
Ok, so let's change this up a bit:


In the past 10 years, I have become:

• a teacher, primary and high school teacher in North Vancouver. Taught all grades, but spent 3 months as a High School Geology teacher.
  


• a geologist, qualified but never really practiced. Worked at several museums, including the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
  


• a world traveler, been to over 20 countries. Climbed an active volcano (Mt. Etna, Italy), got dirty at La Tomatina and the Mud Festival (Spain and Korea, respectively), been drunk with people from 50 nationalities, hiked through old-growth forest (the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, among others), camped under the stars (many times, but in teepees in the Alberta Badlands), swam in 6 oceans/seas (Pacific, Atlantic, Mediterranean, Gulf of Mexico, Yellow Sea, East China Sea), found a mummified cat in Greece (gross!), drove around a country (France), didn't run with the bulls (that's only for crazy people! In Pamplona, Spain), experienced Oktoberfest (Munich, Germany), flew a lot (sorry Earth), ate some crazy food (live octopus in Korea, among others!), walked inside a meteor crater (Arizona), and crept through skull-filled catacombs (Paris).
  


• a film maker, Besides shorter travel videos, I wrote and directed two films - Bluebell Woods and its prequel, Tony's Empire. I also co-created a few other projects under the production company Prehistoric Insanity Productions - The Hardcore Apocalypse after Next Tuesday, Action Figure High, and the upcoming Delta Patrol!
  


• a tour guide, worked at the Vancouver Lookout and the Royal Tyrrell Museum doing my best to showcase their wonders...
  


• an artist, I love painting and drawing, and I'm slowly delving into digital manipulation of images. Created posters and other artwork for local theater productions and a mural for local museums. I also love making music and doing photography.
  

I love how self-indulgent this post has become. I feel great! Happy Birthday, Pete!

I have also pretended to be a:

• a palaeontologist, studying and creating art about the subject in my spare time, working at various museums, digging in Alberta!
  


• a film actor, worked as an extra in movies and TV - X-Men 3, I.Robot, Catwoman, 88 Minutes, Butterfly on a Wheel, Smallville, Tru Calling, Dead Zone, Killer Instinct...

• a talent agent, this is the role I play in the fictional blog Traumador: The Tyrannosaur Chronicles.
  

• travel writer, this blog!
  

Where I am now.

• I am currently teaching English to adults in Seoul, Korea. I am very happy here, but I also miss Vancouver and teaching children.
  

Where I am going.

• My contract with my Korean company (YBM) ends at the end of November, and I don't plan to re-sign. This is not because I don't like Korea or I hate the job - no! - In fact, I am having a ball, I just miss Vancouver and look forward to living there again.


• So after November, I'll be off to Thailand for almost three weeks with Steve and then I'll head home, arriving just before Christmas.


• My job with the North Vancouver School System is still waiting for me, so once I get back, I'll start subbing again with them. (You have to LOVE the NVSD for keeping my job - What other job lets you come back after two years traveling?)


• Finding a place to live will be more difficult. I am thinking about lower Lonsdale, but the prices down there are crazy! This will require a thorough search. Living alone or with roommates? Alone is preferred, but I may not be able to afford it - especially in North Van.

• The only other major set plan I have for the future is visiting England next summer. Another cousin is getting married and I will actually be able to go to this one (No Korean Contract! Teacher summers off! Yeah!) I also have many friends in the UK I need to catch up with...

• In the next 10 years, I want to:
• write, illustrate and publish kids books
• make another movie.
• get married and have children
• go shark cage diving (must be a Great White Shark)

Ahhh. Aren't lists great?!! They save the hassle of prose!

The future of this blog is secure - it is a great way to throw my thoughts and photos out there! I am sometimes tempted (by surfing though all the linked blogs I read!) to alter Bond's Blog into something it isn't. It could become a specifically Palaeo-Blog or a Travel-Blog or an Art-Blog or a Teaching-Blog or a Film-making-Blog. But that's not the point of this blog. It is a way of sharing what I think is cool. And, at 30, I still think these things - palaeo/travel/art/teaching/films - are cool!

It is a blog about me, Bond. Bond's Blog.

The State of the blog is good...
And the State of Peter is good too.

Thank you for listening to this completely indulgent rant. Have a piece of cake and a goody bag!

What about Bob?

BOB

Some of you may not know this, but I have another roommate besides Steve here in Korea.

Meet Bob.

Bob is our friend who, amazingly, only visits when the lamp is on. He only lives on our living room ceiling, but pays a third of the rent (a good deal for us, not for him!) He's a bit fat and has very unique hair...

Go on, say "hi" to our roommate - Bob!

A Temporary Dark Knight Frustration

The Dark Knight opens today in Vancouver...
... But NOT in Seoul!

The new Batman movie opens in South Korea on August 7th, which just happens to be my birthday. Now I know how to spend my 30th birthday, but having to wait three weeks isn't much of a birthday present!

Why do is it that some movies open all at the same time around the world, and others open at staggered times? Dark Knight: US July 18, UK July 28, Korea August 7, France August 13, Germany August 21st...

The sad thing is that by the time it opens in Korea, everyone will have already seen in on a pirated DVD copy. Not me though! As a fan, I will wait and see it in the theaters (and maybe in IMAX!) 20 days and counting...

Now, what can I do while I am waiting?

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."

COEX Aquarium