It's Christmas here in Korea. We have a new conservative president, Kim Myung-bak. The students are in holiday mode. School has broken up for a month. Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be the same excess here as back home. Turn on the TV and there are hardly any festive ads, walk round the neighborhood and there a couple of trees but not much. There are always neon lights in town, some department stores have trees and a Christmas
display, but there is not the same excess.. well not until this weekend when everywhere seemed to
be playing Christmas tunes.

I am always depressed around this time of year.. and this year is no exception. This time last year I was struggling with malaria. I'm currently feeling homesick, surrounded by the constant sound of Korean, and the lack of being told what is happening at work.

The younger kids have been uncontrollable at times... but I have relented a little on my use of corporal punishment... and now I exercise a bit of, what I like to call, aggressive tickling. But they have been very excitable this week. No more so than on Friday - Talent Market Day. This twice a year event gives them a chance to exchange coupouns, received for good behaviour or work, into Jungchul Dollars. They spend these on food, stationery and other items. It's a fun day, but they have to speak in English - no Korean allowed, otherwise they get arrested and put in a makeshift cell. I spent most of the day switching between being posted on passport control and taking the 'What Am I?' quiz. Video coming soon... so check out the video section.


STOP PRESS: THE VIDEO I LOADED ONTO THIS SITE HAS NOT APPEARED, POSSIBLY DUE TO SIZE OR POSSIBLY DUE TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS. SO PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING LINK INTO YOUR BROWSER, TO SEE THE VIDEO FOR TALENT MARKET DAY:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOUSoF1DJ6s


However, I was not happy about being taken out to lunch after I had just eaten and sitting down, quiet and miserable and with no appetite. And I was not happy about being the only person to have classes today - my 2 intensive course classes. The kids didn't want to be there, I certainly didn't and it showed. There was a moment when I wanted to leave completely and jack this whole thing in. Big shout to Gary for keeping me together. Cheers, dude (as he would say)!

On a more positive note, half the staff did manage to sit down after lunch and before the onrush of eager kids, and watch a festive edition of 'Shrek' (BBC One, Christmas Eve, 6.35pm).

I didn't take as many photos as I would have liked, and most of them are blurred - which does give an indication of the frantic pace of the day. I did, however, manage to persuade the boss to take a photo of the complete staff line-up as of Christmas 2007 - although it was actually Myung-soon's final day.

On a second positive note, my English Language OEM disc of Vista arrived and now I am operating in English, not Hangul, on my laptop. Yes. Shout out to Andy for help on that one, and to Dad, for posting it onto me.

Anyway, i've sent a christmas greeting to everyone i know on facebook... it features a certain K-pop phenomena. I haven't sent any cards... do i ever? But Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year nonetheless.

pxx