Alas, winter has struck my little island paradise. It's in the 40s and 50s, and the wind is strong, and I know everyone in the northern part of the States is sending a big old "kiss my ass" in my direction. We did have our first bit of snow the other day, but none of it stuck. Despite the temperature for winter being a bit higher here, it has the same effects. The bright green island of the summer turned to beautiful oranges and reds, and those have turned to browns and branches.
As the natural landscape around me has decayed, it so seems that the rest of the world has gone with it. I don't see many good things happening around the world; all of the Facebook posts and news stories are dismal. I need some good news, people! The days are shorter, a bit of the old seasonal affective stuff is kicking in, and I'm not sleeping nearly as well as I had during the brighter months. It's more difficult to get away from campus, in part because it's tough to ride a motorcycle very far in freezing temperatures.
Despite all of this, life is still going pretty well. I've been doing a lot of cooking, and I'm trying to perfect my first strain of homemade barbecue sauce, a sweet/spicy combination. We will see how it plays out as I continue to try to perfect it. The boys really enjoyed the first batch and have been asking me for more!
One of my friends here and I went on a whole day adventure this past week on my days off, and it was definitely the refresher I needed to make it through to Christmas break at home. We went first to get coffee, then found a Chicago hot dog place, then went to a beautiful waterfall on the beach, then went to an awesome art museum (the Bonte Museum), which coincidentally was modeled after the Pulitzer Foundation in St. Louis. It's such a small world sometimes. It really blew my mind that this place could have any connection to my home, and I found two in the same day in the form of a hot dog and a Picasso.
Exactly two weeks from today, I will be on a plane to Los Angeles. I will hopefully be seeing my dear cousin Liz Buhn, which will be a nice holiday treat! I can't wait. This week's hurdle with the boys has been personal space. They don't seem to get it. They're fascinated by the fact that I have hair on my arms and face, and they constantly want to touch it. They are amazed that I have a belly, so they constantly poke it (talk about a motivation to diet after Christmas...). I've had to get a bit stern with them in telling them that it's inappropriate to hang on me, and I'm not really sure that it's gotten through entirely.
I scheduled a trip to Japan for February, and a roadtrip around the Korean peninsula for March. I'm pretty pumped for both. In Japan, I'm flying into Tokyo, and hoping to do a few days in Hiroshima as well to satisfy my WWII historian cravings. I will most likely be flying solo for that trip, so that should be interesting! The esteemed Michael Chu and I are going to take the road trip in March, and we're flying into Seoul, doing a DMZ tour, and then getting the car and driving all over. It should be a lot of fun. Looking forward to traveling more lightly for these two trips and taking it easy.
I'm bringing home a lot of Korean goodies to share with everyone! Looking forward to seeing friends and family soon. Have a great week.
-Ryan
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Cultural Differences
For some reason, the urge to write always dawns upon me late at night. I've had a few people in the last week ask me what the biggest cultural differences are between Korea and the US. I have only my opinion, but I shall spell out what I see as best as I can, in no particular order.
1. Eating. Besides the obvious chopsticks, it's been weird for me adjusting to the way that my boys eat. Eating here is a heck of a lot more audible than at home. If it's noodles, the polite way to eat them is literally to grab as much as you can with the chopsticks and slurp. Apparently, audibly eating is a sign of respect, as if to say, "This is so good that I'm eating it like a hungry bear." It's actually quite liberating when you're noodles to just dig in without the formalities. The diet is way different. Rice and kimchi are available at every meal. At restaurants, there's a whole side dish course that comes out before the food and is free. Eating culture in general here just caught me by surprise.
2. Driving. I'm not trying to perpetuate any stereotypes, but the driving test here must be as easy as writing your name at the top. The following clip demonstrates all too accurately what you deal with regularly here.
Basically, it's an free-for-all, and you better be hyperaware of those around you. Surprisingly, I don't see 20 car pileups every day, so maybe a crippling fear is all we really need in the States to avoid accidents.
3. Bowing. This sounds like a ridiculous one, but every Korean you acknowledge, you're usually doing it with a bow. I know that when I'm home in December, I will be bowing to everyone I see without thinking about it.
4. The Internet. Sorry, folks, but the US is millennia behind. I'm really surprised if I'm somewhere and I don't have fast, free WiFi here. It's ridiculously fast. I rarely if ever have issues with Skyping, and it is glorious. Downloads happen in seconds instead of in minutes. It is absolutely wonderful, and the US needs to take notes.
5. Health and fitness. Everyone is as thin as a rail, but there doesn't really seem to be any emphasis on health or working out. My boys enjoy sports, but the idea of running or lifting weights is pretty repulsive to most of them. As far as staff, I see two Korean gentlemen in the gym from time to time, but besides that, all foreign staff. The boys would rather eat Ramen for every meal than anything else, and I get the feeling that when they're home, they're spoiled, and it literally is Ramen and fried chicken for every meal.
6. Music. K-pop, man. It's everywhere. The boys like lots of American pop, but generally like really epic Korean ballads and K-pop are their go-to. I was lucky with my group, and they all have interest in guitar, so they like John Mayer, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix. Otherwise, I may have been wearing noise canceling headphones a lot more often.
7. Parental relationships. Tons of pressure from the parents on everything. Most of the boys have never heard their parents say they love them. They show that they care in other ways, such as making sure they're fed at all times. I noticed it a lot when I met parents at the soccer tournament earlier this year; on the surface, it looks a lot like a strictly-business relationship, but you can see that the parents do what they do because they care.
8. Masculine/Feminine roles. My boys are super feminine. It took me a while to get used to their morning routines which involve blow drying their hair, applying excessive amounts of cologne, and ironing their shirts. Emotion is more readily displayed with the boys I've come to find. Sitting on each other's laps and holding hands in the hall way is normal. As far as girls, the roles seem to be more traditional than at home, but the school also does a good job of making sure that girls don't just slide into a role that they're expected to assume. It seems to be a newer thing than at home that women are coming out of the household and into the workplace, but maybe I'm misinterpreting.
9. Gaming. At home, if you're into World of Warcraft or League of Legends, you might be considered a nerd. Here, people are making money doing it. The kids are obsessed and watch YouTube videos of the best players. The boys are never happier than when they're at their computers gaming, which is half horrifying in that I worry it cripples their imagination, and half helpful because I get silence when they have MacBook time.
10. Age Distinctions. I think I mean multiple things by this. First of all, unless a Korean is really old or really young, it's really hard for me to distinguish how old they are. I have coworkers who I thought were 20 who are in their late 30s. Some of my boys look like they could be in 2nd grade instead of 7th. Additionally, the way that ages treat each other is strange. The older kids can really hold things over the younger kids heads. Apparently, a lot of bullying occurs based on age. For instance, apparently, one of the kids told a younger boy he had to prostrate him self to him every time he saw him. Strange stuff, man.
Anyway, I'm feeling the yawns, and that's the first ten that came to my head. Have a good weekend, people.
1. Eating. Besides the obvious chopsticks, it's been weird for me adjusting to the way that my boys eat. Eating here is a heck of a lot more audible than at home. If it's noodles, the polite way to eat them is literally to grab as much as you can with the chopsticks and slurp. Apparently, audibly eating is a sign of respect, as if to say, "This is so good that I'm eating it like a hungry bear." It's actually quite liberating when you're noodles to just dig in without the formalities. The diet is way different. Rice and kimchi are available at every meal. At restaurants, there's a whole side dish course that comes out before the food and is free. Eating culture in general here just caught me by surprise.
2. Driving. I'm not trying to perpetuate any stereotypes, but the driving test here must be as easy as writing your name at the top. The following clip demonstrates all too accurately what you deal with regularly here.
3. Bowing. This sounds like a ridiculous one, but every Korean you acknowledge, you're usually doing it with a bow. I know that when I'm home in December, I will be bowing to everyone I see without thinking about it.
4. The Internet. Sorry, folks, but the US is millennia behind. I'm really surprised if I'm somewhere and I don't have fast, free WiFi here. It's ridiculously fast. I rarely if ever have issues with Skyping, and it is glorious. Downloads happen in seconds instead of in minutes. It is absolutely wonderful, and the US needs to take notes.
5. Health and fitness. Everyone is as thin as a rail, but there doesn't really seem to be any emphasis on health or working out. My boys enjoy sports, but the idea of running or lifting weights is pretty repulsive to most of them. As far as staff, I see two Korean gentlemen in the gym from time to time, but besides that, all foreign staff. The boys would rather eat Ramen for every meal than anything else, and I get the feeling that when they're home, they're spoiled, and it literally is Ramen and fried chicken for every meal.
6. Music. K-pop, man. It's everywhere. The boys like lots of American pop, but generally like really epic Korean ballads and K-pop are their go-to. I was lucky with my group, and they all have interest in guitar, so they like John Mayer, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix. Otherwise, I may have been wearing noise canceling headphones a lot more often.
7. Parental relationships. Tons of pressure from the parents on everything. Most of the boys have never heard their parents say they love them. They show that they care in other ways, such as making sure they're fed at all times. I noticed it a lot when I met parents at the soccer tournament earlier this year; on the surface, it looks a lot like a strictly-business relationship, but you can see that the parents do what they do because they care.
8. Masculine/Feminine roles. My boys are super feminine. It took me a while to get used to their morning routines which involve blow drying their hair, applying excessive amounts of cologne, and ironing their shirts. Emotion is more readily displayed with the boys I've come to find. Sitting on each other's laps and holding hands in the hall way is normal. As far as girls, the roles seem to be more traditional than at home, but the school also does a good job of making sure that girls don't just slide into a role that they're expected to assume. It seems to be a newer thing than at home that women are coming out of the household and into the workplace, but maybe I'm misinterpreting.
9. Gaming. At home, if you're into World of Warcraft or League of Legends, you might be considered a nerd. Here, people are making money doing it. The kids are obsessed and watch YouTube videos of the best players. The boys are never happier than when they're at their computers gaming, which is half horrifying in that I worry it cripples their imagination, and half helpful because I get silence when they have MacBook time.
10. Age Distinctions. I think I mean multiple things by this. First of all, unless a Korean is really old or really young, it's really hard for me to distinguish how old they are. I have coworkers who I thought were 20 who are in their late 30s. Some of my boys look like they could be in 2nd grade instead of 7th. Additionally, the way that ages treat each other is strange. The older kids can really hold things over the younger kids heads. Apparently, a lot of bullying occurs based on age. For instance, apparently, one of the kids told a younger boy he had to prostrate him self to him every time he saw him. Strange stuff, man.
Anyway, I'm feeling the yawns, and that's the first ten that came to my head. Have a good weekend, people.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
What I Learned From Coaching And My Motorcycle
Yesterday marked the end of my first coaching gig. I also had a really awesome motorcycle ride.
Coaching soccer was kind of a last minute thing. They had so many boys try out for soccer that they decided they wanted to do a B-team so that more boys would get to play. I, along with my co-coach Michael Chu, took on the B-team. Right around the same time, I bought a beat up old dirt bike off of a British dude.
The first day of practice, I remember standing with Michael watching the scrimmage and saying, "We are completely hopeless. These kids don't know a thing about soccer." They could barely even complete a pass to one another. We started at square one with passing and settling. That was in the middle of August. Similarly, I began at square one of the motorcycle. Having never ridden one as a means of transportation before, I rode it around the building right before I bought it, and I almost rear-ended the car in front of me at the first stop light I pulled up to.
We lost our first game 11-0 against the British school up the street. They brought their A-team with seventh and eighth graders. We brought our B-team with mostly sixth grade kids who could barely speak English and were playing in the dirt on defense (literally, they were playing in the dirt). In the first week of having the motorcycle, I noticed that the accelerator was sticking, and that it was very unsafe to ride. Having just made the purchase, I was very discouraged.
Some weeks passed as we prepared for a tournament up in Seoul. We started to see glimmers of hope in the boys' play, and Michael and I agreed that scoring one goal and or getting a draw would be our secret coaches' goal for the tournament. The boys were terrified. They came out in the first game and forced a 0-0 draw. Excitement! They came out in the second and third game and narrowly lost. In the fourth game, we had our first goal of the season. Right before we left for the tournament, my boss Bryan quickly and easily helped me fix the motorcycle.
After the tournament, practice resumed as usual with no games on the schedule for the rest of the season. We were hoping to get a rematch against the British team's B-squad, but besides that, it was just going out on Monday and Wednesdays and having fun. The boys enjoyed a more laid back attitude, and so did we. The weather was beautiful, and I found some great routes around the coast to take my motorcycle out for a spin. The views were stunning.
When mid-term grades came back, over half of our team was ineligible. One of our boys lost his passport coming back from break in China and was stuck there. We didn't have enough to field a team for a scheduled rematch against the British squad, and Michael and I resolved to just letting the boys scrimmage at practice. The headlight went out on my motorcycle. I went to fix it, and on the way to the shop, I ran out of gas and had to walk it a mile to the gas station.
For our last practice, Michael and I told the boys we would be playing in a scrimmage with them. As we played, I noticed beautiful connecting passes, incredible defense from a boy who had the self-confidence of a pea all season, an understanding of the strategy Michael and I had put in place, movement on and off the ball, and countless other improvements. Michael and I stood together at the end of practice marveling at the progress the boys had made. It was one of my proudest moments at this job so far. Earlier in the day, I had taken the motorcycle for a ride on a seaside road with incredible views of the giant mountain closest to campus. As I rode, I realized how free my mind was from the stupid stresses that come with any job. I didn't miss home then; I realized how lucky I was to be in such a beautiful place on a beat up old dirtbike going wherever I felt like.
I realize how well I've gotten to know myself in these last few months. I realize who I want to be and how I want to be. I realize what I need to stay sane around a bunch of middle school boys when sometimes it seems like their life goal is to make me go insane. I realize that while I'm off doing what I'm doing, home is always going to be there, and I'm making lots and lots of different homes, too. I think up until recently, I've had a massive fear of missing out. I miss my friends at home like crazy. I miss my parents and my sister. I was holding back from getting attached to this place. I think coaching and my motorcycle showed me that this place is somewhere I can get used to.
When I left, although I was ready to go abroad and wanted to, in a way, it felt like I was running from something. I didn't get my dream job; I went through a break up; I felt like I had no direction. I don't really believe in some higher power dictating my life, but I do think I'm meant to be here. I'm in a really good place overall, and I think I'd like to come back for a second year if the school offers me a promotion. It's decision time in the next few weeks!
Hey, thanks for reading. It's six weeks until I'm home and get to see so many people that I'm missing so much. Hope you're having as good of a week as I am.
-Ryan
Coaching soccer was kind of a last minute thing. They had so many boys try out for soccer that they decided they wanted to do a B-team so that more boys would get to play. I, along with my co-coach Michael Chu, took on the B-team. Right around the same time, I bought a beat up old dirt bike off of a British dude.
The first day of practice, I remember standing with Michael watching the scrimmage and saying, "We are completely hopeless. These kids don't know a thing about soccer." They could barely even complete a pass to one another. We started at square one with passing and settling. That was in the middle of August. Similarly, I began at square one of the motorcycle. Having never ridden one as a means of transportation before, I rode it around the building right before I bought it, and I almost rear-ended the car in front of me at the first stop light I pulled up to.
We lost our first game 11-0 against the British school up the street. They brought their A-team with seventh and eighth graders. We brought our B-team with mostly sixth grade kids who could barely speak English and were playing in the dirt on defense (literally, they were playing in the dirt). In the first week of having the motorcycle, I noticed that the accelerator was sticking, and that it was very unsafe to ride. Having just made the purchase, I was very discouraged.
Some weeks passed as we prepared for a tournament up in Seoul. We started to see glimmers of hope in the boys' play, and Michael and I agreed that scoring one goal and or getting a draw would be our secret coaches' goal for the tournament. The boys were terrified. They came out in the first game and forced a 0-0 draw. Excitement! They came out in the second and third game and narrowly lost. In the fourth game, we had our first goal of the season. Right before we left for the tournament, my boss Bryan quickly and easily helped me fix the motorcycle.
After the tournament, practice resumed as usual with no games on the schedule for the rest of the season. We were hoping to get a rematch against the British team's B-squad, but besides that, it was just going out on Monday and Wednesdays and having fun. The boys enjoyed a more laid back attitude, and so did we. The weather was beautiful, and I found some great routes around the coast to take my motorcycle out for a spin. The views were stunning.
When mid-term grades came back, over half of our team was ineligible. One of our boys lost his passport coming back from break in China and was stuck there. We didn't have enough to field a team for a scheduled rematch against the British squad, and Michael and I resolved to just letting the boys scrimmage at practice. The headlight went out on my motorcycle. I went to fix it, and on the way to the shop, I ran out of gas and had to walk it a mile to the gas station.
For our last practice, Michael and I told the boys we would be playing in a scrimmage with them. As we played, I noticed beautiful connecting passes, incredible defense from a boy who had the self-confidence of a pea all season, an understanding of the strategy Michael and I had put in place, movement on and off the ball, and countless other improvements. Michael and I stood together at the end of practice marveling at the progress the boys had made. It was one of my proudest moments at this job so far. Earlier in the day, I had taken the motorcycle for a ride on a seaside road with incredible views of the giant mountain closest to campus. As I rode, I realized how free my mind was from the stupid stresses that come with any job. I didn't miss home then; I realized how lucky I was to be in such a beautiful place on a beat up old dirtbike going wherever I felt like.
I realize how well I've gotten to know myself in these last few months. I realize who I want to be and how I want to be. I realize what I need to stay sane around a bunch of middle school boys when sometimes it seems like their life goal is to make me go insane. I realize that while I'm off doing what I'm doing, home is always going to be there, and I'm making lots and lots of different homes, too. I think up until recently, I've had a massive fear of missing out. I miss my friends at home like crazy. I miss my parents and my sister. I was holding back from getting attached to this place. I think coaching and my motorcycle showed me that this place is somewhere I can get used to.
When I left, although I was ready to go abroad and wanted to, in a way, it felt like I was running from something. I didn't get my dream job; I went through a break up; I felt like I had no direction. I don't really believe in some higher power dictating my life, but I do think I'm meant to be here. I'm in a really good place overall, and I think I'd like to come back for a second year if the school offers me a promotion. It's decision time in the next few weeks!
Hey, thanks for reading. It's six weeks until I'm home and get to see so many people that I'm missing so much. Hope you're having as good of a week as I am.
-Ryan
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Fall Break: Seoul and Hong Kong
With an 11-day trip, more than I can tell happened, so I'm going to hit the highlights!
Ten of us from the KIS dorm staff stayed in an Airbnb in Seoul's Hongik University area. It's a young people's part of the town with the university there, so there were tons of options for shopping and eating. The main place we traveled to was Itaewon, the foreigners part of town. It had tons of shopping and foods we can't get in Jeju, like American BBQ (the best BBQ I've had in years) and Mexican food. Needless to say, we took full advantage. It was a bit crazy with ten people in one apartment, but it was a lot of fun. It was good to just have some time to relax. We visited a large palace one day with a beautiful garden, and we went bowling another day. It was really nice to not have plans, to just be able to go do what I wanted when I wanted to. That was the general theme of Seoul. I liked the size and the atmosphere of the city, too.
Hong Kong, October 30 to November 5:
Hong Kong was the bulk of the trip, and I traveled with my friends Justin and Alec. My first impression when we showed up was the height. Everything is built vertically and right on top of each other. It's a big, little city. The second thing I noticed was the crowds. Everywhere was a mess of people. By the end of 6 days, I was very tired of it! We started with a couple of days of just going around the town and sightseeing. We saw the beautiful view from Victoria's peak, went to markets in Mong Kok (near the protests, but there wasn't any action when we were there!), and went to the night markets. On Halloween, we went to Lan Kwai Fong, the bar district. The streets were so packed we couldn't move, so we just grabbed a few beers from the 7-11 and took it all in. Two days later, we went to Macau, the gambling capital of the world, and did some gambling. We played roulette, and I lost badly. Justin was in my camp, and Alec somehow won close to $200. The following day we went to Ocean Park, which is apparently regarded as one of the best theme parks in the world. We saw pandas and rode roller coasters. It was awesome. Besides that, the rest of the trip was just chilling out! Got some Christmas presents knocked out at the markets and read my book. Can't beat that.
Some general notes:
The time to decide if I want to stay for a second year is nearing. It was really reassuring to me that I missed Jeju when I was gone. I'll keep you posted on my decision!
The post-college realization that I won't maintain all my friendships sucks. You get so close with people over the course of four years, and sometimes reaching out isn't enough I suppose. You find out who's important more quickly than you expect. That's been hitting me kind of hard lately.
You find out who you can and cannot travel with after less than 24 hours of traveling with them.
The guy who came up with the name "pumpernickel" must've been stoned out of his mind. "So we've got the white bread... the wheat bread... and HA... pumpkernickel... HA..."
There is no better feeling than eating real vegetables after 10 days on the road.
The more and more I spend my time away from home, the more I see myself staying away (sorry, Mom). I love and miss Chicago, and perhaps I'll end up there someday or elsewhere in the States, but at 23, the idea of seeing more and more of the world is really appealing. I don't know if that goes away with time or if that's just who I am. Everywhere I go, I meet people and hear about new things that I want to see. My bestest friend Kelly Cahalin is talking about going to Nepal next year, and all I can think about is how cool it would be to visit Nepal. Is that an opportunity I could take if I were in the States? I just don't know. Lots of mind churning these days.
I've met more Canadians in the last year than I had ever met before in my life. Mikey and I met a bunch on our European travels, and I work with and am surrounded by lots of them here. To date, I haven't met a Canadian that I outright didn't like. A good breed overall, those way-Northerners.
Finally, here is a time-lapse video of our journey back from the big Buddha, courtesy of the dedicated photographer Alec Lorraine:
Finally, here is a time-lapse video of our journey back from the big Buddha, courtesy of the dedicated photographer Alec Lorraine:
Anyway, that's all I've got for now. Bed time. Back to work tomorrow and the kids return Sunday! 6 weeks until I'm home for Christmas, and I can't wait to see everyone. Thanks for taking the time to read, folks. Adios.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Punches and the Postseason
Hello, all! Tuesday afternoon, my day off, and I just got back from a nice motorcycle ride out along a coastal road and up to my favorite little cafe on the water that I've been frequenting for the last few weeks. They're starting to know what I want when I come in, so I'd say that's a success. It was a little buggy out (as in I was eating mouthfuls of bugs as I rode), so I turned in early in favor of a blog post and a nap.
This past Saturday, I took my 6/7 grade boys soccer team up to Seoul with my co-coach and good pal Michael Chu (Mr. Chu if you're into K-pop). We woke up around 4:30AM, got everyone on the bus by 5:30, and took off around 7:55. We landed in Seoul, got some food, and hopped on the bus to go to Dulwich College. It felt really good to be back in a big city. I love the island and the beach and the ability to just go off and have alone time, but I'm a city boy at heart. We made it to the school, and we played four games considerably better than we played our first 11-0 loss. We went 1-2-1, getting our first goal and our first win.
We did have one incident in which one of our boys punched another boy who had been chirping at him on the field. It was a big ordeal and the coach and headmaster from the other team kind of freaked out. A long story short, we had to dismiss him from the team, and that was a stain on an otherwise lovely tournament.
Besides that, it's business as usual here. The postseason baseball schedule has thrown off my sleep schedule a bit. Tonight, I'm waking up at 3:30AM to watch game three. Should be a fun Wednesday morning! I have 12 days until I leave for Seoul and Hong Kong, and I can't wait. The protests in Hong Kong have been at the front of our minds, but we're hoping that they're easy enough to avoid. There's currently no advisories out saying not to go there, so the trip is still going forward.
I got to Skype my favorite Katie Bell today, and my parents, Aunt Sue, and grandparents this past Sunday, so it's been nice having some contact with home. I can't wait to be back and see friends and family in December! I may look a bit different then! My hair is getting really long, to the point where I have to brush it out of my eyes and wear a headband when I ride the motorcycle or play sports.
My best pal Michael Dienstbach and I are talking about taking a road trip out West this summer in the States, so that is a fun thing to keep in mind recently. I've been taking spare moments to look up attractions. Could be a blast. As far as new music, these are my albums of the week:
Hozier - Hozier
Shakey Graves - And The War Came
Sara Bareilles - Kaleidoscope Heart
Paper Bird - Rooms
All highly suggested. I've made some fun connections at home since I got here that have been really enjoyable for me who most certainly deserve some recognition. Young Ellen Heaghney, a family friend who is in a program in Paris during her freshman year of college, and I have been chatting about our abroad experiences, and it's been really loving reliving my abroad days and hearing about her experiences! Keep up the adventuring, Ellen! Alicen Schade, a friend from college, is also abroad currently in her post-grad life, and she's headed to Cuba (you heard me, Cuba) in a few days through her program. It's been so cool hearing about her experiences when she's available, and I'm wishing her the best of luck as she ventures to a country that not many Americans get the opportunity to go to. Appreciate it and enjoy it, Alicen! Finally, I've been emailing old SLUH teachers from time to time, and that's been really enjoyable for me. Their presence on Facebook is even better; from Frank Corley ranting about Mike Matheny (I'm officially with you, Mr. Corley), to pictures of the adorable children of Lauren Dickens, being on a somewhat friendly level with those who helped shape me into who I am is really wonderful. Definitely folks I hope to see when I'm home in December!
That's about all I have for now. My day was just made, as I received a package from my godfather/uncle Peter containing the full Australian Wildred on DVD and a collection of Vonnegut graduation speeches. Thanks, Uncle Pete! Hope everyone has a lovely week.
-Ryan
This past Saturday, I took my 6/7 grade boys soccer team up to Seoul with my co-coach and good pal Michael Chu (Mr. Chu if you're into K-pop). We woke up around 4:30AM, got everyone on the bus by 5:30, and took off around 7:55. We landed in Seoul, got some food, and hopped on the bus to go to Dulwich College. It felt really good to be back in a big city. I love the island and the beach and the ability to just go off and have alone time, but I'm a city boy at heart. We made it to the school, and we played four games considerably better than we played our first 11-0 loss. We went 1-2-1, getting our first goal and our first win.
We did have one incident in which one of our boys punched another boy who had been chirping at him on the field. It was a big ordeal and the coach and headmaster from the other team kind of freaked out. A long story short, we had to dismiss him from the team, and that was a stain on an otherwise lovely tournament.
Besides that, it's business as usual here. The postseason baseball schedule has thrown off my sleep schedule a bit. Tonight, I'm waking up at 3:30AM to watch game three. Should be a fun Wednesday morning! I have 12 days until I leave for Seoul and Hong Kong, and I can't wait. The protests in Hong Kong have been at the front of our minds, but we're hoping that they're easy enough to avoid. There's currently no advisories out saying not to go there, so the trip is still going forward.
I got to Skype my favorite Katie Bell today, and my parents, Aunt Sue, and grandparents this past Sunday, so it's been nice having some contact with home. I can't wait to be back and see friends and family in December! I may look a bit different then! My hair is getting really long, to the point where I have to brush it out of my eyes and wear a headband when I ride the motorcycle or play sports.
My best pal Michael Dienstbach and I are talking about taking a road trip out West this summer in the States, so that is a fun thing to keep in mind recently. I've been taking spare moments to look up attractions. Could be a blast. As far as new music, these are my albums of the week:
Hozier - Hozier
Shakey Graves - And The War Came
Sara Bareilles - Kaleidoscope Heart
Paper Bird - Rooms
All highly suggested. I've made some fun connections at home since I got here that have been really enjoyable for me who most certainly deserve some recognition. Young Ellen Heaghney, a family friend who is in a program in Paris during her freshman year of college, and I have been chatting about our abroad experiences, and it's been really loving reliving my abroad days and hearing about her experiences! Keep up the adventuring, Ellen! Alicen Schade, a friend from college, is also abroad currently in her post-grad life, and she's headed to Cuba (you heard me, Cuba) in a few days through her program. It's been so cool hearing about her experiences when she's available, and I'm wishing her the best of luck as she ventures to a country that not many Americans get the opportunity to go to. Appreciate it and enjoy it, Alicen! Finally, I've been emailing old SLUH teachers from time to time, and that's been really enjoyable for me. Their presence on Facebook is even better; from Frank Corley ranting about Mike Matheny (I'm officially with you, Mr. Corley), to pictures of the adorable children of Lauren Dickens, being on a somewhat friendly level with those who helped shape me into who I am is really wonderful. Definitely folks I hope to see when I'm home in December!
That's about all I have for now. My day was just made, as I received a package from my godfather/uncle Peter containing the full Australian Wildred on DVD and a collection of Vonnegut graduation speeches. Thanks, Uncle Pete! Hope everyone has a lovely week.
-Ryan
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Trying My Patience
The last week or so, the boys have been trying my patience. I knew this time would come; I guess I just didn't suspect so soon. Many of the decisions the higher ups are making about their freedoms are being pinned on me and my immediate house staff, when we really have no control over it, and the boys are rebelling. Not to mention the general boneheaded decisions that middle schoolers make. For instance, we had 6 kids try to escape in the middle of the night over the fence, and they were swiftly caught. They were trying to go to the closed gas station for microwave noodles.
One of my kids discovered the n-word in a rap song and doesn't seem to realize the implications of the word, so that's been fun. Another kid tried to pass the argument with me that "all boys our age watch porn. You know we need to be able to." That was hard not to laugh through. He legitimately thought that would change the IT department's mind about their policies on porn.
It's been a long week, but I'm off tomorrow and the next day, and I can't wait. Last off days, we hiked up the famous Sunrise Peak, which was beautiful. My birthday was Wednesday, and the love shown to me from friends far and near was really revitalizing as far as the bad week I was having and the homesickness. It felt really good. My roommates from college sent me a book about bourbon which was awesome, and I received cards from several family members including both sets of grandparents and my dear Aunt Sue. Thanks so much, everyone! You made the week much better!
Wednesday night I went out with two friends to a local pub that had a decent beer or two on tap, and we turned in early since I had to work the next morning. It was a great birthday overall. Tuesday, we're planning on going transparent kayaking if the weather holds up, and I can't wait. I'm looking forward to Skyping with my sister and my parents, and I had wonderful Skype sessions earlier this week with several friends. Fingers crossed that grandma and grandpa Bedell can get it up and running soon!
I've been surprisingly discovering a ton of music since I got here. Some of the albums I'm growing to love:
Former Lives - Benjamin Gibbard
This Is All Yours - alt-J
They Want My Soul - Spoon
In The Lonely Hour - Sam Smith
Caustic Love - Paolo Nuttini
Wish I Was Here (Soundtrack) - Various Artists
Story Of My Life - Shakey Graves
All worth your time. I am starting to crave American foods and drinks. I'm compiling a large list of must-haves for December. My friend Mandaline is in Saint Louis this weekend, and I'm jealous of the Ted Drewes and other things she's having. December is soon! I had Quizno's today, which felt really dirty and like cheating for some reason. But it was delicious, and I regret nothing.
Another highlight of the week was hearing from my good pal Michael Meyer, who I hope to be conversing more with soon. Such a gem! Besides that, life's going overall well, and I hope to hear from anyone and everyone soon. Have a good one!
One of my kids discovered the n-word in a rap song and doesn't seem to realize the implications of the word, so that's been fun. Another kid tried to pass the argument with me that "all boys our age watch porn. You know we need to be able to." That was hard not to laugh through. He legitimately thought that would change the IT department's mind about their policies on porn.
It's been a long week, but I'm off tomorrow and the next day, and I can't wait. Last off days, we hiked up the famous Sunrise Peak, which was beautiful. My birthday was Wednesday, and the love shown to me from friends far and near was really revitalizing as far as the bad week I was having and the homesickness. It felt really good. My roommates from college sent me a book about bourbon which was awesome, and I received cards from several family members including both sets of grandparents and my dear Aunt Sue. Thanks so much, everyone! You made the week much better!
Wednesday night I went out with two friends to a local pub that had a decent beer or two on tap, and we turned in early since I had to work the next morning. It was a great birthday overall. Tuesday, we're planning on going transparent kayaking if the weather holds up, and I can't wait. I'm looking forward to Skyping with my sister and my parents, and I had wonderful Skype sessions earlier this week with several friends. Fingers crossed that grandma and grandpa Bedell can get it up and running soon!
I've been surprisingly discovering a ton of music since I got here. Some of the albums I'm growing to love:
Former Lives - Benjamin Gibbard
This Is All Yours - alt-J
They Want My Soul - Spoon
In The Lonely Hour - Sam Smith
Caustic Love - Paolo Nuttini
Wish I Was Here (Soundtrack) - Various Artists
Story Of My Life - Shakey Graves
All worth your time. I am starting to crave American foods and drinks. I'm compiling a large list of must-haves for December. My friend Mandaline is in Saint Louis this weekend, and I'm jealous of the Ted Drewes and other things she's having. December is soon! I had Quizno's today, which felt really dirty and like cheating for some reason. But it was delicious, and I regret nothing.
Another highlight of the week was hearing from my good pal Michael Meyer, who I hope to be conversing more with soon. Such a gem! Besides that, life's going overall well, and I hope to hear from anyone and everyone soon. Have a good one!
Friday, September 12, 2014
Chuseok and Other Updates
Yesterday marked the end of my first break here at KIS. I
had airport duty last night, which was hectic to say the least. I love most
everything about the school here, but sometimes there is a huge lack of
organization, which can be a little frustrating. It seems that often the
administrators, teachers, and dorm staff are all on different wavelengths about
certain things. That’s my only current complaint though!
Last week Friday began Chuseok break. Chuseok is the
equivalent of the Korean Thanksgiving. Friday night, we had a potluck then all
went out as a staff. It was a lot of fun! Saturday morning, I woke up and left
for a small island off the east coast of Jeju called U-do. We drove to the east
side then took a ferry, which was kind of fun. Once we got to U-do, there were
a bunch of other people from Jeju schools, and it was nice to meet some people
outside of KIS. We played beach volleyball, swam, then camped overnight,
staying up late around a fire on the beach.
The next day, we stayed until 4pm or so swimming and playing
volleyball, then made the trek back to KIS. On the way home, we stopped at a
restaurant where we had a very spicy stir-fry chicken dish, which was then
covered in cheese. It also had sweet potato dumplings in it. It was incredible,
but the spicy was intense.
Monday, we bummed around all day then went to the casino at
night. I lost, but it was fun. It’s illegal for Koreans to gamble, but tourists
can, which is kind of weird. It was basically a dozen or so Chinese folks and
us Americans. I wore my suit and a black bow tie just to class it up Casino
Royale style. Tuesday was relaxing. A friend and I ventured to some waterfalls
close to the beach. The island is really really beautiful, and I love the
little nooks and crannies that you can find like that. Still trying to process
that I can visit things like that whenever I want.
Wednesday, the kids came back. In a way, it was nice to see
them again, but a little sad to leave the peace and quiet behind! Now, it’s straight
through to the end of October before my next break. Then, before I know it,
I’ll be venturing home for the Boesch wedding and Christmas festivities. Time
travels at light speed these days. I bought a car today! So that's another fun development. Looking forward to taking it out around the island.
I also figured out how to write my address on an envelope! So
that’s a fun development. If you feel like sending anything to me (first of
all, you rock), send me a message, and I’ll send you the photo of how it should
look.
Shout out to my incredible cousin, Charlotte Samuels! Girl
can swim. She just completed the “triple crown of open water swimming” at age
15, the youngest person to ever do so, and also did all three swims in the
shortest span of time at 74 days. If you ever need motivation, there’s your
girl. She swam over twenty hours in the English Channel. I can’t think of
anything I’ve ever done for 20 hours straight, let alone something that
exhausts you. You’re a champ, Char!
That’s really all to report for now. Will write again if
anything fun comes up. Thanks for reading!
-Ryan
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
One Month In
"Travel can be one of the most rewarding forms of introspection."
- Lawrence Durrell
I left home a month ago today. So much has happened in this month! I'm getting to know my students better, and we've already had our ups and downs. It's no fun to discipline the kids, but they know the rules and rather intentionally break them sometimes. That's the least fun part of the job. The bright side is that I know I'm doing the job well and I'm having fun! I'm happy, and life at the school and on the island has been great.
I've kept in good touch with most folks at home, Skyping and Facebook messaging and such! Hearing from home is always nice, so do hit me up if you feel so inclined.
The most recent development here is that I was offered another job which I ultimately decided to turn down, but it really presented me with a decision that I feel ended up being a major life decision. I was offered the opportunity to leave my current position and become the school's Assistant Athletic Director/Head Lifeguard. It wouldn't have involved a pay raise or anything this year, but I was flattered that the athletic director came to me first with the offer. The decision it presented is this: is sports my future, or is the education side more my future?
The kicker is that the director originally wanted to know the next day if I wanted the job. While the dilemma between sports and education was on my mind anyway, I knew that if sports was my future, AD would look better than Dorm Assistant. I thought about it overnight, getting very little sleep, then met with some of my bosses and coworkers the next day to get their opinions, and in the end, I decided to turn it down.
I think I've come to a decision that education is where I see my career heading from here. I had been thinking about it even before I came to Jeju, but being here has only reaffirmed this desire in me. Who knows when going back to school will be for me, but a master's in higher education sounds like it could be something I have interest in. My good friend Alex Boesch is off tackling that degree in Vermont now, so I suppose I will have to pick his brain in the future. My good friend and mentor Dr. Beazley could probably also provide some guidance! I have to keep telling myself that I don't have to make any decisions right now. The job offer really put all of this to the forefront of my mind, and now that I've made an immediate decision, I need to remind myself that I can put it to the back burner for a bit.
I bought a small dirt bike this week for transportation, a Hyosung RX125. So I officially have wheels to explore the island, and I have been doing so! Went to the beach yesterday on my day off, and today into the city. Additionally, I bought a classical guitar. These small things have made it start to feel more like home here. You take transportation for granted until you don't have it and you're stranded on campus all day! Feels good to finally be able to come and go as I please. Been on a few hikes, and hoping to throw in a few more soon as well. No complaints currently!
Still loving the people and the place, and a month in, I think that's a good sign. Still missing you all at home and am excited to see everyone in December. My first break from school starts Friday, and a camping trip is in my future. Can't wait. Have a good week, family and friends!
-Ryan
Rest in peace, Chris Zandstra. 6/16/91 - 9/2/07
- Lawrence Durrell
I left home a month ago today. So much has happened in this month! I'm getting to know my students better, and we've already had our ups and downs. It's no fun to discipline the kids, but they know the rules and rather intentionally break them sometimes. That's the least fun part of the job. The bright side is that I know I'm doing the job well and I'm having fun! I'm happy, and life at the school and on the island has been great.
I've kept in good touch with most folks at home, Skyping and Facebook messaging and such! Hearing from home is always nice, so do hit me up if you feel so inclined.
The most recent development here is that I was offered another job which I ultimately decided to turn down, but it really presented me with a decision that I feel ended up being a major life decision. I was offered the opportunity to leave my current position and become the school's Assistant Athletic Director/Head Lifeguard. It wouldn't have involved a pay raise or anything this year, but I was flattered that the athletic director came to me first with the offer. The decision it presented is this: is sports my future, or is the education side more my future?
The kicker is that the director originally wanted to know the next day if I wanted the job. While the dilemma between sports and education was on my mind anyway, I knew that if sports was my future, AD would look better than Dorm Assistant. I thought about it overnight, getting very little sleep, then met with some of my bosses and coworkers the next day to get their opinions, and in the end, I decided to turn it down.
I think I've come to a decision that education is where I see my career heading from here. I had been thinking about it even before I came to Jeju, but being here has only reaffirmed this desire in me. Who knows when going back to school will be for me, but a master's in higher education sounds like it could be something I have interest in. My good friend Alex Boesch is off tackling that degree in Vermont now, so I suppose I will have to pick his brain in the future. My good friend and mentor Dr. Beazley could probably also provide some guidance! I have to keep telling myself that I don't have to make any decisions right now. The job offer really put all of this to the forefront of my mind, and now that I've made an immediate decision, I need to remind myself that I can put it to the back burner for a bit.
I bought a small dirt bike this week for transportation, a Hyosung RX125. So I officially have wheels to explore the island, and I have been doing so! Went to the beach yesterday on my day off, and today into the city. Additionally, I bought a classical guitar. These small things have made it start to feel more like home here. You take transportation for granted until you don't have it and you're stranded on campus all day! Feels good to finally be able to come and go as I please. Been on a few hikes, and hoping to throw in a few more soon as well. No complaints currently!
Still loving the people and the place, and a month in, I think that's a good sign. Still missing you all at home and am excited to see everyone in December. My first break from school starts Friday, and a camping trip is in my future. Can't wait. Have a good week, family and friends!
-Ryan
Rest in peace, Chris Zandstra. 6/16/91 - 9/2/07
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
The Children Have Arrived!
A quick catch up: I didn't post during orientation because it was basically the same thing every day. It was ice breakers and team building during the day, hang out and meet people at night. It was good fun, but not all that informative. The last few days of orientation involved getting down to business and getting real details about daily life. This culminated in the staff party the night before the kids arrived. All English staff, Korean staff, teachers, and families were invited to a party in the gym with tons of food, beer, and karaoke. It was a good time, and the perfect end to the orientation. You could tell there was a cohesive group of people in the gym, and it felt good.
Yesterday, we decorated our floor all morning, and students began arriving at 1:30PM. I was a lot more nervous than I thought I would be, mostly for meeting the parents! Everyone arrived by 3:30 or so, and by 4, parents had left, and it was time to get down to business. I can already tell that learning names will be a bit difficult! We have 19 boys between 6th and 8th grade, and room for 3 more. There are three dorm staff members on the floor; there's me (overseas assistant), Jennifer (Korean assistant), and Bryan (the house specialist). So far I've bonded well with both of them, and it's been relatively smooth sailing besides some minor communication with students. It'll be a bit of a learning process, as all three of us are new.
I can already tell who my troublemakers are. Some of the former middle school specialists warned me about who they would be, but I didn't even need to know names. It's typical middle school boy stuff: being rough, swearing, being disrespectful when someone else is talking, some bullying. I think we made it pretty clear that we run a tight ship though. The boys loved that I worked for the Cubs, and during some free time, I even jammed on guitar with one of my students. A small faction of the boys has taken to calling me Mr. Hulk after we did some dodgeball and basketball last night. I think that's a good thing? It's weird enough to hear Mr. Bedell and Mr. Ryan. It makes me feel old.
The wake up calls are the hardest part. We assign student leaders each week to wake up early and rouse their peers. Today, the house leaders were up at 6 (they needed to be up at 7), and were waking people up by 6:30. I attribute it to being excited for the school day. While they're in classes, I'm free to do as I please. At 3, we have a staff meeting, and at 4, kids are out of school. I have Monday and Tuesday off, so those days will be best for me for catching up.
The homesickness hadn't really set in until I saw the kids saying goodbye to their parents yesterday. I really do miss all of my friends at home. I've done a good job of keeping in touch with many already, but I'm starting to realize how far away I am! However, I have this feeling that already this experience is helping me grow. It's reassuring to know I'm in the right place.
It's pouring today, so I went on a sopping wet bike ride, which was fun. My coworker Matt was nice enough to give me his old bike. It needs some work, but Bryan enjoys working on bikes and has offered to help! As soon as my visa goes through, I'm going to look into a car or scooter so that I can really start exploring. There's great rock climbing, hiking, and surfing here on the island. So I think I will have to start getting into all of those!
Anyway, not much else to report for now. Miss you all! Email me at ryanbedell3@gmail.com or rbedell@kis.ac, and we can set up some Skype! Have a good rest of your week, folks.
-Ryan
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
My First Few Days on Jeju Island
Hello all!
Sorry it took me so long to write a proper post. As you can imagine, the process of settling in has taken a few days. However, I've finally got my room all unpacked and organized, and orientation is in full swing. I'm going to try to recount all the way from leaving Saint Louis, moreso for myself because I haven't had time to journal, so feel free to skip a few paragraphs if you want info about where I'm at right now!
Friday night of last week, my family came over for dinner, and reality began to set in. I ended the night with my closest friends coming over, and then I began preparing myself to wake up early and leave. I was up at 4:30AM scrambling to get myself together, and before I knew it, I was on a plane to Chicago. When I arrived in Chicago, I was told my flight from Seoul to Jeju had been cancelled due to a typhoon on the island, so initially, some panic set in. I was in Chicago for three hours, and then hopped on the plane towards Seoul.
I slept for the first 5 hours of the 14 hour flight, then watched a few movies and stayed awake to try to beat the jet lag. When I arrived in Seoul, my first order of business was to get my bags and then find an Asiana Airlines desk to try to get on standby. As I wandered aimlessly through the airport, I thought I had all the time in the world. I went to an information desk after an hour or so, and the woman pointed me in the right direction. As I was walking away, I overheard the man behind me ask where to go for a desk for Asiana, as he was trying to get to Jeju. He was a middle-aged American man named Tim, and I got to talking with him. At first, we couldn't find the desk that the woman pointed us to, but almost out of nowhere, Asiana came up on one of the screens, and immediately a large hoard of people flocked to the desk. After some time in line, we finally got to the front, and were informed that our flight was in fact still going to Jeju that night, and it left in 30 minutes. I checked my bags and sprinted to the gate with some time to spare. I was rewarded with a first class seat on the plane, and I sat next to a nice Korean high school student named Jeff who told me some horror stories about his own experience in an American boarding school. An interesting start.
When I landed in Jeju, I found my bags (They made it. A miracle) and proceeded out of the terminal where the KIS staff was waiting for me. Several other people from my staff had been on my flight, so we met and all piled onto the school's bus to go back. By the time I got to the school, it was 11PM local time, and I was beat. I went back, set my stuff on the ground, and crawled straight into bed.
The next morning was the first leg of orientation, which basically involved a brief meeting then going to the supermarket, E-Mart. Talk about a great introduction to Korean culture. It was basically a gigantic supermarket crossed with a Best Buy, a Lowe's, and an IKEA. There was K-pop blasting the entire time inside. It was wonderful. I bought some of my necessities and then we went back to the school, where I got set on organizing my room and unpacking my bags. We went to dinner that night at a small Italian place up the road where I had a delicious pizza.
Today, we did some team building activities and then had a tour of the school. The campus is massive and has separate buildings for the elementary school, middle school, and high school. It has several pools, gyms, and auditoriums. It has a putting green on the roof of the high school with an indoor driving range and virtual golf room. There's several weight rooms and teacher's lounges in each building. Needless to say, the place is pretty swanky! We went to dinner at an organic burger restaurant, and then we had the rest of the night off. One of my best friends from home, Luke, randomly had a friend who is living on the island for the month, so I just got back from hanging out with her for a bit! It was crazy to see a semi-familiar face.
Tomorrow, we have orientation all day, and then, a ton of the staff and teachers are going to the local professional soccer team's game, so I am really looking forward to that. My current observations so far amount to this: it is the most humid place on Earth. St. Louis is a humidity infant compared to this place. Also, the free cafeteria food is sub-par, but it's free. I can deal with it. I'm going to love it here. The staff are all really cool, and the island seems awesome. The one thing that's interesting is that there's a ton of bugs. I am going to need to adapt to massive spiders, beatles, and various other forms of insect vermin. It will take time.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Sorry for the novel. From here on out, will probably post at milestones, such as the students arriving, etc. Below are some pictures for your enjoyment. Hit me up via email or Facebook for Skype dates! Au revoir, people, and have a good week.
-Ryan
Sorry it took me so long to write a proper post. As you can imagine, the process of settling in has taken a few days. However, I've finally got my room all unpacked and organized, and orientation is in full swing. I'm going to try to recount all the way from leaving Saint Louis, moreso for myself because I haven't had time to journal, so feel free to skip a few paragraphs if you want info about where I'm at right now!
Friday night of last week, my family came over for dinner, and reality began to set in. I ended the night with my closest friends coming over, and then I began preparing myself to wake up early and leave. I was up at 4:30AM scrambling to get myself together, and before I knew it, I was on a plane to Chicago. When I arrived in Chicago, I was told my flight from Seoul to Jeju had been cancelled due to a typhoon on the island, so initially, some panic set in. I was in Chicago for three hours, and then hopped on the plane towards Seoul.
I slept for the first 5 hours of the 14 hour flight, then watched a few movies and stayed awake to try to beat the jet lag. When I arrived in Seoul, my first order of business was to get my bags and then find an Asiana Airlines desk to try to get on standby. As I wandered aimlessly through the airport, I thought I had all the time in the world. I went to an information desk after an hour or so, and the woman pointed me in the right direction. As I was walking away, I overheard the man behind me ask where to go for a desk for Asiana, as he was trying to get to Jeju. He was a middle-aged American man named Tim, and I got to talking with him. At first, we couldn't find the desk that the woman pointed us to, but almost out of nowhere, Asiana came up on one of the screens, and immediately a large hoard of people flocked to the desk. After some time in line, we finally got to the front, and were informed that our flight was in fact still going to Jeju that night, and it left in 30 minutes. I checked my bags and sprinted to the gate with some time to spare. I was rewarded with a first class seat on the plane, and I sat next to a nice Korean high school student named Jeff who told me some horror stories about his own experience in an American boarding school. An interesting start.
When I landed in Jeju, I found my bags (They made it. A miracle) and proceeded out of the terminal where the KIS staff was waiting for me. Several other people from my staff had been on my flight, so we met and all piled onto the school's bus to go back. By the time I got to the school, it was 11PM local time, and I was beat. I went back, set my stuff on the ground, and crawled straight into bed.
The next morning was the first leg of orientation, which basically involved a brief meeting then going to the supermarket, E-Mart. Talk about a great introduction to Korean culture. It was basically a gigantic supermarket crossed with a Best Buy, a Lowe's, and an IKEA. There was K-pop blasting the entire time inside. It was wonderful. I bought some of my necessities and then we went back to the school, where I got set on organizing my room and unpacking my bags. We went to dinner that night at a small Italian place up the road where I had a delicious pizza.
Today, we did some team building activities and then had a tour of the school. The campus is massive and has separate buildings for the elementary school, middle school, and high school. It has several pools, gyms, and auditoriums. It has a putting green on the roof of the high school with an indoor driving range and virtual golf room. There's several weight rooms and teacher's lounges in each building. Needless to say, the place is pretty swanky! We went to dinner at an organic burger restaurant, and then we had the rest of the night off. One of my best friends from home, Luke, randomly had a friend who is living on the island for the month, so I just got back from hanging out with her for a bit! It was crazy to see a semi-familiar face.
Tomorrow, we have orientation all day, and then, a ton of the staff and teachers are going to the local professional soccer team's game, so I am really looking forward to that. My current observations so far amount to this: it is the most humid place on Earth. St. Louis is a humidity infant compared to this place. Also, the free cafeteria food is sub-par, but it's free. I can deal with it. I'm going to love it here. The staff are all really cool, and the island seems awesome. The one thing that's interesting is that there's a ton of bugs. I am going to need to adapt to massive spiders, beatles, and various other forms of insect vermin. It will take time.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Sorry for the novel. From here on out, will probably post at milestones, such as the students arriving, etc. Below are some pictures for your enjoyment. Hit me up via email or Facebook for Skype dates! Au revoir, people, and have a good week.
-Ryan
Sunday, August 3, 2014
I'm Here!
Just a brief heads up that I'm at the school and in my room! My room is great, and I will post pictures when I can. I slept about 5 hours of the 14 hour flight, so I'm starting to feel tired. Waking up tomorrow to go to the hospital at 6:30AM, and it's midnight now. I met some of the other dorm staff, and they all seemed very nice. The business staff from the school were very welcoming and gave me a welcome package with a mug, my ID badge (the worst picture of me ever), and some coffee and water. Off to a great start here in Jeju! If I have time tomorrow, will go into more detail.
From the other side of the world,
Ryan
From the other side of the world,
Ryan
Thursday, July 17, 2014
And So On: The Hub For My Happenings
Hello friends and family,
Many have expressed an interest in a continuance of blog posts from what I was doing in Europe as I transition into Korea. I am more than happy to do so, and I am honored that you folks care enough to read up on what I'm doing.
Transition back to America has been busy. I got home to Chicago on June 2, drove back to Saint Louis the next day, spent a few days there, flew to New York, spent a few days there, drove back to Chicago, spent a day there, drove back to Saint Louis, and now here I am. Saturday, I leave for a family reunion in Minnesota. I am so unbelievably ready to settle down and get to Korea.
"And so on." This is a famous line (for any of you Vonnegut readers out there) from Breakfast of Champions, a novel that I quite enjoy. Whether or not Kurt intended it, I kind of have been interpreting it as saying, "There will always be more to say. The skill in writing knows when to continue and when to shut the hell up." It's a brilliant novel, and you should read it. For now, apparently there is more for me to say.
The posts from the Europe trip should still be included in the archives of this blog, mostly for my own safe keeping. I hope everyone who cares to read enjoys, and I will post more as my August 2 departure date draws nearer. Have a great week, folks.
-Ryan
Many have expressed an interest in a continuance of blog posts from what I was doing in Europe as I transition into Korea. I am more than happy to do so, and I am honored that you folks care enough to read up on what I'm doing.
Transition back to America has been busy. I got home to Chicago on June 2, drove back to Saint Louis the next day, spent a few days there, flew to New York, spent a few days there, drove back to Chicago, spent a day there, drove back to Saint Louis, and now here I am. Saturday, I leave for a family reunion in Minnesota. I am so unbelievably ready to settle down and get to Korea.
"And so on." This is a famous line (for any of you Vonnegut readers out there) from Breakfast of Champions, a novel that I quite enjoy. Whether or not Kurt intended it, I kind of have been interpreting it as saying, "There will always be more to say. The skill in writing knows when to continue and when to shut the hell up." It's a brilliant novel, and you should read it. For now, apparently there is more for me to say.
The posts from the Europe trip should still be included in the archives of this blog, mostly for my own safe keeping. I hope everyone who cares to read enjoys, and I will post more as my August 2 departure date draws nearer. Have a great week, folks.
-Ryan
Saturday, June 28, 2014
A Whole Lot Of Everything. And Now We're In Istanbul.
For our last day in Prague, we went to the Prague castle and Saint Nicholas's monastery, where they have brewed their own beer to pair with traditional food for centuries. The castle was huge and beautiful, and the beer and sausage was quite good! We went from Prague to Vienna, where we stayed for only one night, but we made the most of the day, going to see the city center and hanging out in the museum district. We then took a train to Budapest, where we stayed for 2 nights. The first day, we climbed a mountain overlooking the whole city, which was a blast, but it wore out Mikey who has been battling some sickness. We went back to the hostel and he went to bed, and I hung out at the ruin bad adjacent to our hostel, eventually meeting up with some girls we met at the hostel in Prague. We went to a dance club and had a good night! Mikey and I then woke up at 10 or so the next day, and we walked to a famous Hungarian bathhouse. We spent almost all day there, moving from warm pools to cool pools to steam rooms and to ice cold pools. It was so relaxing, and I think we both needed the day off. Mikey was still feeling sleep, so when he got back he watched a bit of a movie, the weirdest movie I've ever seen, that the hostel was showing. It was a weird stoner flick from the 70s called The Holy Mountain. That was done at 10 or so, and I stayed up after Mikey went to bed talking to some British people, Scots, and Aussies. All in all a great experience in Budapest.
We then flew to Istanbul, where we are now. Yesterday we got to our hostel at about 5 and met the Australian girls staying in our 5 bed room. They were hilarious, and we decided to go out with them at night. First, Mikey and I went to watch the USA - Germany game at a shisha bar (hookah), smoking and having some traditional Turkish tea as we watched the game. We had a blast and despite the loss were quite happy. Then, we met up with the Aussies and went out for some kebabs, to walk around Taksim square, and ultimately to a bar where they were playing some Turkish pop and having awesome dancing circles and such. We had a blast.
Today, we woke up and went to the palace on the water. It was massive and had incredible gardens, as well as a museum with artifacts from this area dating back to 10000BC. That number blew my mind. I could literally reach out and touch something that someone made 12000 years ago. So cool. We then walked to the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia. The blue mosque was beautiful and is still in use, so we walked around quietly for a bit and really enjoyed the beautiful architecture. The Hagia Sophia used to be used as a church, and was equally stunning. It was really cool to see the Christian architecture right by the more Ottoman-like stuff, and we appreciated all of the history around us!
Istanbul is so awesome, and it's by far the least western of the places we are going. It's something different, and I love it. When we got back from our day out, I spent a half hour explaining the rules of baseball to the cafe owner below our hostel. He then made us some Turkish coffee and we just sat and relaxed and took it all in.
This month has been incredible. It's hard to believe it's almost over. I think Mikey and I will both be ready to be home and see our loved ones in a week, and then I need to start preparing big time for Korea! So many new adventures. I am a lucky man. Thanks for reading, and I will try to get one or two more posts in before we're done!
Miss you all!
-Ryan
Saturday, June 21, 2014
End of Rome, Cinque Terre, Padova/Venice, and Arriving in Prague
If you couldn't tell by the title, it's been a few days since I posted, and unfortunately, typing on a Czech keyboard is rather painstaking, so I still must try to keep it brief!
Our last day in Rome was pear pasta, then out to some of my old stomping grounds with Mitch, TJ, and the Sinclair crew to watch the USA soccer game against Ghana. It was a great time!
We woke up early and took a train to La Spezia, where we took a train to Riomaggiore, the first town of Cinque Terre, where we were staying for a few days. Mikey and I hiked to the next town, wearing ourselves out, then took the train back to Riomaggiore to relax for the night. It was stunningly gorgeous and we met some great people at the hostel who we hung out with for the evening, watching the sunset from the bay. The next day, we took the train to the third city, and hiked to the fifth. It was very hard work, but so gorgeous and a lot of fun. Cinque Terre is definitely in the running for my favorite cities in Italy now!
We took a train the next morning to Padova, where we met the parents of my good friend Marco. His parents were far too kind to us, giving us a taste of authentic Italian home cooking and hospitality. It was wonderful. The next day, we went with them to see the islands of Venice, which were stunning. Venice is a city unlike any other. Really incredible to see. We took boats to the islands and spent the day exploring and eating, then when we got home, Marco's mom, la mia mamma Italiana, made us another great meal. Interestingly enough, for anyone who knows I don't normally eat tomatoes, I was eating them like candy. So delicious in her caprese. We then turned in early to catch a plane from Venice to Prague, unable to adequately thank Marco's parents for their kindness.
It was a one hour flight to Prague, and the first two striking things were the exchange rate and the language barrier. It's 22 Czech crowns to every euro, and we speak absolutely zero Czech. After a bus to the city, we wandered for about an hour finding the hostel. It's a beautiful hostel, and it seems like it will be a great few days! It's a beautiful city. We are going to relax and watch soccer tonight, then go out and explore the city tomorrow. Should be lovely.
Sorry for the lack of detail! Thanks for reading, and I will try to write again soon.
Ciao,
Ryan
Our last day in Rome was pear pasta, then out to some of my old stomping grounds with Mitch, TJ, and the Sinclair crew to watch the USA soccer game against Ghana. It was a great time!
We woke up early and took a train to La Spezia, where we took a train to Riomaggiore, the first town of Cinque Terre, where we were staying for a few days. Mikey and I hiked to the next town, wearing ourselves out, then took the train back to Riomaggiore to relax for the night. It was stunningly gorgeous and we met some great people at the hostel who we hung out with for the evening, watching the sunset from the bay. The next day, we took the train to the third city, and hiked to the fifth. It was very hard work, but so gorgeous and a lot of fun. Cinque Terre is definitely in the running for my favorite cities in Italy now!
We took a train the next morning to Padova, where we met the parents of my good friend Marco. His parents were far too kind to us, giving us a taste of authentic Italian home cooking and hospitality. It was wonderful. The next day, we went with them to see the islands of Venice, which were stunning. Venice is a city unlike any other. Really incredible to see. We took boats to the islands and spent the day exploring and eating, then when we got home, Marco's mom, la mia mamma Italiana, made us another great meal. Interestingly enough, for anyone who knows I don't normally eat tomatoes, I was eating them like candy. So delicious in her caprese. We then turned in early to catch a plane from Venice to Prague, unable to adequately thank Marco's parents for their kindness.
It was a one hour flight to Prague, and the first two striking things were the exchange rate and the language barrier. It's 22 Czech crowns to every euro, and we speak absolutely zero Czech. After a bus to the city, we wandered for about an hour finding the hostel. It's a beautiful hostel, and it seems like it will be a great few days! It's a beautiful city. We are going to relax and watch soccer tonight, then go out and explore the city tomorrow. Should be lovely.
Sorry for the lack of detail! Thanks for reading, and I will try to write again soon.
Ciao,
Ryan
Monday, June 16, 2014
La Citta Eterna: Home at Last
After a fun last day in Barcelona walking around and exploring the city, we made our way via Ryanair to Rome. We got in Saturday evening at ten, took a train to the main train station, Termini, and then took a cab to meet my good friend Mitch (who lives in Rome) in my favorite area of town, Trastevere, to watch Italy's World Cup game. The game started at midnight, so we got back to the Zone Hotel, where I lived when I studied abroad, at 2:30AM.
We woke up at 9AM, went to the Rome center to see Mitch, and then made our way to Saint Peter's Basilica to catch the end of the pope's noon mass. We saw about a half an hour of his words from the balcony, and then met up with my friends from Saint Louis, Liz, John, Matt, and Mary, who just happened to be in Rome at the same time that we are. So great to see old friends! We spent the day with them, going to the Pantheon, Giolitti gelato, the Spanish Steps, and the Villa Borghese, a giant park above the Spanish Steps, before getting caught in a massive thunderstorm. We were so soaked that we had to go home and change clothes.
After changing clothes, Mikey did a quick work out while Mitch and I caught up over a few espressos. We then made our way to the Colisseum to meet everyone for a special dinner at a restaurant suggested by my good friends the Beazleys, called Taverna dei Fori Imperiali. Mike Beazley made the reservation for us and sent me along with a letter and pictures of his adorable daughter Annie for the staff at the restaurant, who he knew well during his time in Rome. The dinner included me, Mikey, our friend TJ, and the crew from Saint Louis.
When we first arrived and I gave the staff the gifts from the Beazleys, they were overwhelmed. Annie has grown so much since they last saw her! The waitress couldn't hold back tears, and it really was a great moment and connection for us all. We then sat down to the most incredible meal of our lives, which deserves its own paragraph.
The first round was antipasti: an eggplant dish, bacon and truffle bruschetta, roman style pork, and panna cotta with cherry tomatoes and goat cheese. Each one more delicious than the next. The prima piatti included pasta carbonara, pasta alla romana, and pesto cheese ravioli. All delicious, but the highlight was definitely the ravioli. The greatest pasta I have ever had. The secondi piatti was too much to do fully. We all split a plate of wild boar, which was also incredible. We followed this with i dulci, an apple strudle and a strawberry rum cake. Both incredible. We then did after dinner drinks of limoncello and amaro, followed by espresso for all. It truly was the greatest meal of my life, complete with a picture of me and the staff for the Beazleys. We all had a blast, and I think I got some points with my friends for having an in at such a wonderful restaurant!
We then got lost walking to Trastevere to meet Mitch, which was fine! It was a beautiful night and we walked catching up with friends and enjoying the Roman scenery. We finally met Mitch and enjoyed a beer and a chocolate shot in Trastevere before taking cabs home. One of the best nights I have had in years.
As I sit typing this post in the Rome center Information Commons, where I spent six months as a student two years ago, my emotions are very mixed. On one hand, it has been the best few days I have had in as long as I can remember. On the other hand, there's a hint of sadness that I won't be here for a job next year. I am trying to focus on the positives and look forward to Korea, but Rome really is home. I love this city more than anywhere else on the planet, and I think I know deep down that someday in some capacity I will have to be back. It's been strange trying to disassociate the experiences I had a few years ago with the experiences I'm having now. The faces are different; the campus has changed immensely; I don't have my favorite baby Annie here to keep me company! The beautiful part is that despite all that, nothing has really changed. I've caught up with old friends like I was here yesterday. The Coliseum and Vatican are just as I remember them. It truly is the Eternal City. Tonight is our last day here, and after we finish our laundry this morning, we are going to head back out on the town and make the most of the day before a meal at the famous "Pear Pasta" restaurant tonight followed by a trip to one of my favorite bars from when I studied here, the Abbey, and end in Trastevere. Tomorrow we have an early train to the coastal town of Cinque Terre, where we will stay for two days, and I am very excited for that too!
All in all, coming back to Rome was what I needed to turn over to a new beginning. I feel refreshed and ready for what's next. I will try to write another post next time I have access to a computer! A little over two weeks left. It's flying by. Thanks for reading!
Da Roma con amore,
Ryan
We woke up at 9AM, went to the Rome center to see Mitch, and then made our way to Saint Peter's Basilica to catch the end of the pope's noon mass. We saw about a half an hour of his words from the balcony, and then met up with my friends from Saint Louis, Liz, John, Matt, and Mary, who just happened to be in Rome at the same time that we are. So great to see old friends! We spent the day with them, going to the Pantheon, Giolitti gelato, the Spanish Steps, and the Villa Borghese, a giant park above the Spanish Steps, before getting caught in a massive thunderstorm. We were so soaked that we had to go home and change clothes.
After changing clothes, Mikey did a quick work out while Mitch and I caught up over a few espressos. We then made our way to the Colisseum to meet everyone for a special dinner at a restaurant suggested by my good friends the Beazleys, called Taverna dei Fori Imperiali. Mike Beazley made the reservation for us and sent me along with a letter and pictures of his adorable daughter Annie for the staff at the restaurant, who he knew well during his time in Rome. The dinner included me, Mikey, our friend TJ, and the crew from Saint Louis.
When we first arrived and I gave the staff the gifts from the Beazleys, they were overwhelmed. Annie has grown so much since they last saw her! The waitress couldn't hold back tears, and it really was a great moment and connection for us all. We then sat down to the most incredible meal of our lives, which deserves its own paragraph.
The first round was antipasti: an eggplant dish, bacon and truffle bruschetta, roman style pork, and panna cotta with cherry tomatoes and goat cheese. Each one more delicious than the next. The prima piatti included pasta carbonara, pasta alla romana, and pesto cheese ravioli. All delicious, but the highlight was definitely the ravioli. The greatest pasta I have ever had. The secondi piatti was too much to do fully. We all split a plate of wild boar, which was also incredible. We followed this with i dulci, an apple strudle and a strawberry rum cake. Both incredible. We then did after dinner drinks of limoncello and amaro, followed by espresso for all. It truly was the greatest meal of my life, complete with a picture of me and the staff for the Beazleys. We all had a blast, and I think I got some points with my friends for having an in at such a wonderful restaurant!
We then got lost walking to Trastevere to meet Mitch, which was fine! It was a beautiful night and we walked catching up with friends and enjoying the Roman scenery. We finally met Mitch and enjoyed a beer and a chocolate shot in Trastevere before taking cabs home. One of the best nights I have had in years.
As I sit typing this post in the Rome center Information Commons, where I spent six months as a student two years ago, my emotions are very mixed. On one hand, it has been the best few days I have had in as long as I can remember. On the other hand, there's a hint of sadness that I won't be here for a job next year. I am trying to focus on the positives and look forward to Korea, but Rome really is home. I love this city more than anywhere else on the planet, and I think I know deep down that someday in some capacity I will have to be back. It's been strange trying to disassociate the experiences I had a few years ago with the experiences I'm having now. The faces are different; the campus has changed immensely; I don't have my favorite baby Annie here to keep me company! The beautiful part is that despite all that, nothing has really changed. I've caught up with old friends like I was here yesterday. The Coliseum and Vatican are just as I remember them. It truly is the Eternal City. Tonight is our last day here, and after we finish our laundry this morning, we are going to head back out on the town and make the most of the day before a meal at the famous "Pear Pasta" restaurant tonight followed by a trip to one of my favorite bars from when I studied here, the Abbey, and end in Trastevere. Tomorrow we have an early train to the coastal town of Cinque Terre, where we will stay for two days, and I am very excited for that too!
All in all, coming back to Rome was what I needed to turn over to a new beginning. I feel refreshed and ready for what's next. I will try to write another post next time I have access to a computer! A little over two weeks left. It's flying by. Thanks for reading!
Da Roma con amore,
Ryan
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Spain: Tapas and Castles
Hola from Spain!
We arrived from Dublin to Sevilla on a Ryanair flight at 1PM on Sunday. There was an immediate change in feeling for both Mikey and I upon entering Spain. First, Mikey can speak the language which is super helpful, and I can pretty well understand it with my Italian background. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, it felt like summer as soon as we stepped off the plane. No more rain and cold! Sunny and warm with low humidity made it start to really feel like a summer vacation.
We took a bus to the hostel and dropped our things off in our room. It was one of the coolest hostels I have ever stayed in. Very nice and modern, friendly staff, clean, small rooms, and instead of keys, they had fingerprint scanners to enter the rooms. If you're ever in Sevilla, stay at Toc Hostel!
We then walked to Plaza de Espana, a massive horseshoe shaped castle-looking thing that was absolutely breathtaking. Similar to the Cliffs of Moher, it was one of those 'wow' moments where we both just didn't want to leave. We walked around there for a bit taking pictures and checking things out, then went to what the guy at our hostel called 'the mushroom.' Essentially, it was a giant webbed metal structure that kind of looked like a mushroom that you could stand underneath and go up in for a beautiful view of all of Sevilla. We thoroughly enjoyed that, but we were starting to get hungry.
The hostel suggested a tapas place all the way on the other side of town, so we started walking. We got there at 6:30 before the reminder came that Spanish people don't generally eat dinner until 9PM or later. The kitchen didn't even open until 8:30. We decided to wait it out until 8:30 and went to a cafe down the street for sangria and carrot cake. An oddly satisfying combination.
When Duo Tapas opened, we had a feast. We had green mustard chicken, beef and potatoes, patatas bravas, some sort of salmon dish, and sangria. It was absolutely delicious, and in true Spanish fashion, we made the meal last for almost three hours. Anyone who has spent time around me eating knows that it is an accomplishment for me to eat so slowly!
We had a very early bus the next morning, so we went back and went straight to bed after talking to the host at the hostel, Tomas, a young Italian who had also just graduated and decided to move to Sevilla for work. I got to practice my Italian a bit with him too which was nice!
After a three hour bus ride, we arrived in Granada at noon and went straight to our hostel to drop off our things. We were greeted by a zany Spaniard named Gregorio who told us all of the best spots for tapas and stunning views of the Alhambra, a giant castle-fort at different times controlled by the Moors and Catholics, thus having very interesting and varying degrees of art and architecture. Mikey and I had in mind that we wanted to visit the Alhambra before we came, but we didn't know that we needed to have bought tickets far in advance. Gregorio had a solution for us, which I will get to in a minute.
We then went out for some lunch and wandered the streets, hung out in a few plazas reading books, and then went with some people from the hostel to see the sunset over the Alhambra from a massive hill. Then we went out for drinks and tapas, getting home around 1AM.
I mention the time, because Gregorio's solution to our Alhambra problem was to arrive there at 6AM and wait in line. We arrived around 6:30, and luckily I was the only person to originally notice that in addition to the ticket window, there were ticket kiosks where you could use a credit card. So we were first in line! At 8:30, quite tired but still in awe, we entered the Alhambra and began exploring the palaces and gardens of the castle. Each portion was more breathtaking than the next. We stayed for three and a half hours admiring the architecture, nature, and views of Granada. It was absolutely incredible.
By that point, we were exhausted and returned home for a nap. With a brief break out of the room because of the cleaning crew, we slept from 1PM to 7PM. Now, we're getting ready to watch another sunset with people from the hostel, then more tapas and sangria is the plan. Should be a fun night! We go back to Sevilla for a day tomorrow, then fly to Barcelona for a few days. I'm so excited for Barcelona, but still trying to delay my excitement for Rome! My great friends Colleen and Mike Beazley who I met in Rome made a dinner reservation for us there, and I can't wait to see my friend Mitch and my friend Liz from Saint Louis, who by chance will be in the city the same days we are.
The only other thing of note over the last few days is the realization that I have seen hundreds of people during this trip already, interacted with dozens, and there are so many people in this world who have stories and troubles and joys. I was sitting on a bench watching people go by and I started wondering what they do with their lives or what motivates them. It was a weird fleeting thought. I would never see the people passing by again, and they all had somewhere to be, something to do, people who loved them. It was just odd. I think too much sometimes!
That's it for now. Will try to blog at the end of Barcelona. Thanks for reading and sorry for the length!
Hasta luego,
Ryan
We arrived from Dublin to Sevilla on a Ryanair flight at 1PM on Sunday. There was an immediate change in feeling for both Mikey and I upon entering Spain. First, Mikey can speak the language which is super helpful, and I can pretty well understand it with my Italian background. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, it felt like summer as soon as we stepped off the plane. No more rain and cold! Sunny and warm with low humidity made it start to really feel like a summer vacation.
We took a bus to the hostel and dropped our things off in our room. It was one of the coolest hostels I have ever stayed in. Very nice and modern, friendly staff, clean, small rooms, and instead of keys, they had fingerprint scanners to enter the rooms. If you're ever in Sevilla, stay at Toc Hostel!
We then walked to Plaza de Espana, a massive horseshoe shaped castle-looking thing that was absolutely breathtaking. Similar to the Cliffs of Moher, it was one of those 'wow' moments where we both just didn't want to leave. We walked around there for a bit taking pictures and checking things out, then went to what the guy at our hostel called 'the mushroom.' Essentially, it was a giant webbed metal structure that kind of looked like a mushroom that you could stand underneath and go up in for a beautiful view of all of Sevilla. We thoroughly enjoyed that, but we were starting to get hungry.
The hostel suggested a tapas place all the way on the other side of town, so we started walking. We got there at 6:30 before the reminder came that Spanish people don't generally eat dinner until 9PM or later. The kitchen didn't even open until 8:30. We decided to wait it out until 8:30 and went to a cafe down the street for sangria and carrot cake. An oddly satisfying combination.
When Duo Tapas opened, we had a feast. We had green mustard chicken, beef and potatoes, patatas bravas, some sort of salmon dish, and sangria. It was absolutely delicious, and in true Spanish fashion, we made the meal last for almost three hours. Anyone who has spent time around me eating knows that it is an accomplishment for me to eat so slowly!
We had a very early bus the next morning, so we went back and went straight to bed after talking to the host at the hostel, Tomas, a young Italian who had also just graduated and decided to move to Sevilla for work. I got to practice my Italian a bit with him too which was nice!
After a three hour bus ride, we arrived in Granada at noon and went straight to our hostel to drop off our things. We were greeted by a zany Spaniard named Gregorio who told us all of the best spots for tapas and stunning views of the Alhambra, a giant castle-fort at different times controlled by the Moors and Catholics, thus having very interesting and varying degrees of art and architecture. Mikey and I had in mind that we wanted to visit the Alhambra before we came, but we didn't know that we needed to have bought tickets far in advance. Gregorio had a solution for us, which I will get to in a minute.
We then went out for some lunch and wandered the streets, hung out in a few plazas reading books, and then went with some people from the hostel to see the sunset over the Alhambra from a massive hill. Then we went out for drinks and tapas, getting home around 1AM.
I mention the time, because Gregorio's solution to our Alhambra problem was to arrive there at 6AM and wait in line. We arrived around 6:30, and luckily I was the only person to originally notice that in addition to the ticket window, there were ticket kiosks where you could use a credit card. So we were first in line! At 8:30, quite tired but still in awe, we entered the Alhambra and began exploring the palaces and gardens of the castle. Each portion was more breathtaking than the next. We stayed for three and a half hours admiring the architecture, nature, and views of Granada. It was absolutely incredible.
By that point, we were exhausted and returned home for a nap. With a brief break out of the room because of the cleaning crew, we slept from 1PM to 7PM. Now, we're getting ready to watch another sunset with people from the hostel, then more tapas and sangria is the plan. Should be a fun night! We go back to Sevilla for a day tomorrow, then fly to Barcelona for a few days. I'm so excited for Barcelona, but still trying to delay my excitement for Rome! My great friends Colleen and Mike Beazley who I met in Rome made a dinner reservation for us there, and I can't wait to see my friend Mitch and my friend Liz from Saint Louis, who by chance will be in the city the same days we are.
The only other thing of note over the last few days is the realization that I have seen hundreds of people during this trip already, interacted with dozens, and there are so many people in this world who have stories and troubles and joys. I was sitting on a bench watching people go by and I started wondering what they do with their lives or what motivates them. It was a weird fleeting thought. I would never see the people passing by again, and they all had somewhere to be, something to do, people who loved them. It was just odd. I think too much sometimes!
That's it for now. Will try to blog at the end of Barcelona. Thanks for reading and sorry for the length!
Hasta luego,
Ryan
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Last Days in Dublin
Tomorrow, we take off for Sevilla in the south of Spain. Ireland has been absolutely splendid. We did a walking tour of Dublin on Thursday and met some really great people, an Australian girl and a girl from Ohio specifically, who we've hung out with for the last few days since. We went out Thursday night with some guys from West Point which was a lot of fun, then relaxed most of the day yesterday before going out with our friends Julia and Liam from home. Today, we did laundry and are going to head to Phoenix Park this afternoon before a quiet evening and an early bed time.
It's amazing how fast the days are already going. It's been five days in Dublin! We're excited for warm weather and tapas in Spain. We've got plans to meet up with the West Point guys in Barcelona to watch the World Cup, so that should be fun. I'm looking forward to all that's ahead, but selfishly can't wait to get to Rome. Trying to live in the present and not anticipate my return to La Citta Eterna too much! There were some Italian people in the hostel yesterday so I practiced up on my speaking a bit with them.
I'm also actively trying to balance out my thoughts of Korea on this trip. There's so much to do and so much anticipation built up for next year, and it's so fresh on my mind, that it's tough to ignore right now. It's a mix of excitement and fear. I can't imagine how stressed I would be if I wasn't traveling and had all day to think about it! I just finished a book that my Uncle Peter got me for graduation called The Promise of a Pencil, and it was a really inspiring read. Just what I needed right now! I highly suggest reading it for anyone looking for a good summer book. A main theme of the book is to dream big and follow your heart, which I feel like I'm doing with Korea, so that was reassuring in a way.
Well, at this point I'm rambling, and there's still more of Dublin to see before our 9AM flight tomorrow! Will write again after a day or so in Spain. Ciao for now!
It's amazing how fast the days are already going. It's been five days in Dublin! We're excited for warm weather and tapas in Spain. We've got plans to meet up with the West Point guys in Barcelona to watch the World Cup, so that should be fun. I'm looking forward to all that's ahead, but selfishly can't wait to get to Rome. Trying to live in the present and not anticipate my return to La Citta Eterna too much! There were some Italian people in the hostel yesterday so I practiced up on my speaking a bit with them.
I'm also actively trying to balance out my thoughts of Korea on this trip. There's so much to do and so much anticipation built up for next year, and it's so fresh on my mind, that it's tough to ignore right now. It's a mix of excitement and fear. I can't imagine how stressed I would be if I wasn't traveling and had all day to think about it! I just finished a book that my Uncle Peter got me for graduation called The Promise of a Pencil, and it was a really inspiring read. Just what I needed right now! I highly suggest reading it for anyone looking for a good summer book. A main theme of the book is to dream big and follow your heart, which I feel like I'm doing with Korea, so that was reassuring in a way.
Well, at this point I'm rambling, and there's still more of Dublin to see before our 9AM flight tomorrow! Will write again after a day or so in Spain. Ciao for now!
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
The Beginning: Dublin Days 1 & 2
Hello friends and family!
It's been a quick first two days of the trip, and I will try to summarize a bit of what we've done so far.
We arrived in Dublin at 9AM local time, and we both had a ton of energy. I had slept almost the entire flight, and Mikey was just excited. The first thing I heard in an Irish accent was in the airport: "I need to get out of here and go have a whiskey!" I found that funny, being that it was 9AM. I guess there's nuggets of truth in all stereotypes.
We took a shuttle to the hostel and put down our belongings. Our rooms wouldn't be ready until 12:30, so we decided to go get some lunch and play it by ear from there. I had a delicious lunch of bangers and mash (sausage and mashed potatoes) and two pints of Guinness. It really does taste better in Ireland than in the US. It was odd to think that I was enjoying a pint two blocks from the brewery!
In the midst of my second pint, I realized just that! We were two blocks from the brewery. Our hostel still wasn't ready for us, so we headed over to the brewery for a tour. We poured the perfect pint, saw how Guinness was made, had a tasting in 'the perfect conditions for all of your senses to enjoy Guinness', and saw a beautiful view of the city from the Gravity Bar on the top floor of the brewery. We went back and checked into our room from there, and relaxed for a bit before going to buy groceries for our next few meals. We made burgers and fries for dinner because they were cheap, not realizing that it was the most stereotypical American meal ever. I think I saw a few snickers from our hostelmates!
After that, we did what Mikey and I do best. We borrowed the hostel's guitars and started jamming. By the time we were done, we had a crowd of about 40 people from the hostel clapping and singing along, and we had some other folks sit in and play with us drumming and guitaring! Here in Ireland, they call that sort of thing a 'session', and they often happen at pubs. People will come together in the pub, have some pints, and sit in on music jamming all night. I think I could get used to Ireland! After that, our friend Carolyn arrived at the hostel, and we spent the rest of the night catching up with her!
Today, we woke up at 6:30AM to catch a bus to Galway and the Cliffs of Moher (Alex Boesch and Nic Herrmann, if you're reading this, I have a photo to show you). We went to Galway first for a rainy walking tour. Between Dublin and Galway, it was amazing to me how much I remember from when I was here two years ago during my time abroad. Not much has changed, and I love it just as much as I did then. The hostel staff in Dublin is even the same. Very deja vu!
After Galway, we bussed to the Cliffs of Moher and fortunately, the skies cleared for a beautiful, sunny few hours. We walked 5km to the end of the cliff range and took in the breathtaking views. I had seen it before, but it was no less stunning the second time around. Absolutely gorgeous. Mikey and Carolyn were mesmerized, as it was their first time seeing it, and I enjoyed seeing them so taken aback by the beauty. Lots of photos from today to come! We rode back to Galway to drop off the people staying there for the night, and by some ridiculous stroke of chance, my friends Julia and Liam wound up on our bus back! It was a ridiculous coincidence. I knew they were in Ireland, but hadn't planned on seeing them in a few days, and then they just walked onto our bus. So strange, but such a fun time catching up with them on the way back to Dublin.
When we got back to the city, we got fish and chips for dinner, then went back to the room and did a quick workout with pushups, situps, and dips. I have a strange feeling that Mikey is going to whip me into shape this trip. Now, we're relaxing in the hostel, anticipating a walking tour tomorrow early. Not sure where the rest of the day will take us!
It's been a great start, and we're loving life. Thanks for reading, and more updates to come!
Cheers,
Ryan
It's been a quick first two days of the trip, and I will try to summarize a bit of what we've done so far.
We arrived in Dublin at 9AM local time, and we both had a ton of energy. I had slept almost the entire flight, and Mikey was just excited. The first thing I heard in an Irish accent was in the airport: "I need to get out of here and go have a whiskey!" I found that funny, being that it was 9AM. I guess there's nuggets of truth in all stereotypes.
We took a shuttle to the hostel and put down our belongings. Our rooms wouldn't be ready until 12:30, so we decided to go get some lunch and play it by ear from there. I had a delicious lunch of bangers and mash (sausage and mashed potatoes) and two pints of Guinness. It really does taste better in Ireland than in the US. It was odd to think that I was enjoying a pint two blocks from the brewery!
In the midst of my second pint, I realized just that! We were two blocks from the brewery. Our hostel still wasn't ready for us, so we headed over to the brewery for a tour. We poured the perfect pint, saw how Guinness was made, had a tasting in 'the perfect conditions for all of your senses to enjoy Guinness', and saw a beautiful view of the city from the Gravity Bar on the top floor of the brewery. We went back and checked into our room from there, and relaxed for a bit before going to buy groceries for our next few meals. We made burgers and fries for dinner because they were cheap, not realizing that it was the most stereotypical American meal ever. I think I saw a few snickers from our hostelmates!
After that, we did what Mikey and I do best. We borrowed the hostel's guitars and started jamming. By the time we were done, we had a crowd of about 40 people from the hostel clapping and singing along, and we had some other folks sit in and play with us drumming and guitaring! Here in Ireland, they call that sort of thing a 'session', and they often happen at pubs. People will come together in the pub, have some pints, and sit in on music jamming all night. I think I could get used to Ireland! After that, our friend Carolyn arrived at the hostel, and we spent the rest of the night catching up with her!
Today, we woke up at 6:30AM to catch a bus to Galway and the Cliffs of Moher (Alex Boesch and Nic Herrmann, if you're reading this, I have a photo to show you). We went to Galway first for a rainy walking tour. Between Dublin and Galway, it was amazing to me how much I remember from when I was here two years ago during my time abroad. Not much has changed, and I love it just as much as I did then. The hostel staff in Dublin is even the same. Very deja vu!
After Galway, we bussed to the Cliffs of Moher and fortunately, the skies cleared for a beautiful, sunny few hours. We walked 5km to the end of the cliff range and took in the breathtaking views. I had seen it before, but it was no less stunning the second time around. Absolutely gorgeous. Mikey and Carolyn were mesmerized, as it was their first time seeing it, and I enjoyed seeing them so taken aback by the beauty. Lots of photos from today to come! We rode back to Galway to drop off the people staying there for the night, and by some ridiculous stroke of chance, my friends Julia and Liam wound up on our bus back! It was a ridiculous coincidence. I knew they were in Ireland, but hadn't planned on seeing them in a few days, and then they just walked onto our bus. So strange, but such a fun time catching up with them on the way back to Dublin.
When we got back to the city, we got fish and chips for dinner, then went back to the room and did a quick workout with pushups, situps, and dips. I have a strange feeling that Mikey is going to whip me into shape this trip. Now, we're relaxing in the hostel, anticipating a walking tour tomorrow early. Not sure where the rest of the day will take us!
It's been a great start, and we're loving life. Thanks for reading, and more updates to come!
Cheers,
Ryan
Monday, June 2, 2014
Departure Day
We're headed to the airport in about an hour! 6:30PM departure from O'Hare, 9AM arrival in Dublin. There we will wait for our good friend Carolyn who will be spending a few days with us in Dublin. We'll probably try to do some touristy Dublin things for the day on Tuesday, maybe Guinness factory or something! So that's the plan for the next few days.
The bags are packed and the boarding passes are printed, but it still really doesn't feel real. A few days ago, I accepted a position to work in South Korea next year, and it has been a whirlwind trying to get the visa process started for that and also getting ready to make this Europe trip. But it's finally here! I will be checking my email every night and trying to write on this blog every few days. Stay in touch! See you all in July!
Excitedly,
Ryan
The bags are packed and the boarding passes are printed, but it still really doesn't feel real. A few days ago, I accepted a position to work in South Korea next year, and it has been a whirlwind trying to get the visa process started for that and also getting ready to make this Europe trip. But it's finally here! I will be checking my email every night and trying to write on this blog every few days. Stay in touch! See you all in July!
Excitedly,
Ryan
Friday, May 23, 2014
Cheers to New Beginnings
Ciao, dear friends!
Several folks have expressed interest in being updated on where I am and what I'm doing during my upcoming Europe trip, and this seems like the best way to do that. I can't make promises on when I will write and how detailed I will be able to get because it's going to be a busy trip, but I will do my best!
First, a brief summary:
June 3: Arrive in Dublin. Travel around Dublin and day trips throughout Ireland.
June 8: Arrive in Sevilla. Day trips to Granada and Cordoba.
June 12: Arrive in Barcelona.
June 14: Arrive in Rome.
June 17: Arrive in Cinque Terre.
June 19: Arrive in Padua, day trip to Venice.
June 21: Arrive in Prague.
June 23: Arrive in Vienna.
June 24: Arrive in Budapest.
June 26: Arrive in Istanbul.
June 29: Arrive in Paris.
June 30: Arrive in Manchester, train to Sheffield.
July 1: Arrive in Dublin.
July 2: Fly back to US of A.
9 countries, 31 days, 2 best friends, and 1 new beginning.
Talk about a whirlwind. I am going to be wiped out when I get home, but we're in for the trip of a lifetime. My roommate Mike and I have have been talking about taking this trip since we were freshmen. It's a celebration of what we've achieved in the last four years of college, and the men we have become. I think we both feel like we deserve it, and I think we're both excited for a fresh start.
I stress fresh start because I'm trying to focus on the beginnings rather than the end. College coming to an end has been difficult. Friends dispersing, uncertain futures, and just the general question of who I am and who/what I want to become have been on my mind constantly. The end is definitely a little bit saddening, but I think this trip will be a great reminder that the possibilities for the future are endless, and while I've learned a lot from my past, there's no gain to be made in dwelling on it.
Tomorrow, we move out of the apartment we've lived in for two years, and in 10 days we cross the pond to begin our first major journey of post-grad life. Wish us luck, and I will do my best to keep anyone who cares updated with this page. Thanks!
-Ryan
Several folks have expressed interest in being updated on where I am and what I'm doing during my upcoming Europe trip, and this seems like the best way to do that. I can't make promises on when I will write and how detailed I will be able to get because it's going to be a busy trip, but I will do my best!
First, a brief summary:
June 3: Arrive in Dublin. Travel around Dublin and day trips throughout Ireland.
June 8: Arrive in Sevilla. Day trips to Granada and Cordoba.
June 12: Arrive in Barcelona.
June 14: Arrive in Rome.
June 17: Arrive in Cinque Terre.
June 19: Arrive in Padua, day trip to Venice.
June 21: Arrive in Prague.
June 23: Arrive in Vienna.
June 24: Arrive in Budapest.
June 26: Arrive in Istanbul.
June 29: Arrive in Paris.
June 30: Arrive in Manchester, train to Sheffield.
July 1: Arrive in Dublin.
July 2: Fly back to US of A.
9 countries, 31 days, 2 best friends, and 1 new beginning.
Talk about a whirlwind. I am going to be wiped out when I get home, but we're in for the trip of a lifetime. My roommate Mike and I have have been talking about taking this trip since we were freshmen. It's a celebration of what we've achieved in the last four years of college, and the men we have become. I think we both feel like we deserve it, and I think we're both excited for a fresh start.
I stress fresh start because I'm trying to focus on the beginnings rather than the end. College coming to an end has been difficult. Friends dispersing, uncertain futures, and just the general question of who I am and who/what I want to become have been on my mind constantly. The end is definitely a little bit saddening, but I think this trip will be a great reminder that the possibilities for the future are endless, and while I've learned a lot from my past, there's no gain to be made in dwelling on it.
Tomorrow, we move out of the apartment we've lived in for two years, and in 10 days we cross the pond to begin our first major journey of post-grad life. Wish us luck, and I will do my best to keep anyone who cares updated with this page. Thanks!
-Ryan
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