Migraine

I have two memories of migraines. Neither of them affected me directly, rather it was a friend and family member. I started to notice my friend Chad was not on the morning school bus, usually for a few days at a time. I was shy but observant and eventually asked about my friend's whereabouts. "He has migraines," a boy said. "Oh that's a headache," I thought to myself. "Chad baby."

My Aunt also had episodes. My mother too, but her sister's experiences I remember more vividly. She is a very quiet person, who could easily slip into the background of a raucous family gathering. When that was the case, often times it was because of a migraine. "Your aunt went to lie down upstairs," my grandmother would say. "Oh she gets to take a nap," I thought to myself. "Big baby."

Welp, last week I had my first migraine. Just Tried It Out cause I heard how much fun they were! And before I continue and forget, I want to apologize for my thoughts of apathy toward all migraine sufferers in years past. They suck.a.lot.

I was teaching my last class of the day, tutoring a 12 yr old girl, when I looked up toward the ceiling at my room's air conditioning unit. I caught a quick glimpse of the lights overhead and they stayed in my vision like staring at the sun too long. As they normally do I expected it to dissipate. Walking home I couldn't shake the hollowed out center of my vision, and I started to feel ill. By the time I got home the headaches had sunk in above and behind my eye sockets. Walking, seeing, talking, and hearing made everything worse. At this point Stephanie didn't know what was happening and I wanted to punch her every time she asked me a question.

I needed complete darkness and silence. I needed space. I needed an empty room in an empty house. I wanted this to stop. It was bad enough that work consumed my days, now it was creeping into my nights. I barely remember dinner and scarfing down two tacos under a dim, table lamp. Immediately I retreated to the bedroom and prayed for silence. When that did not work, I defied my logic and used my voice to ask Steph to search for remedies, cures, and potions. A long, hot shower later, the pain was subsiding and I had dozed off to sleep.

When I woke the next morning, my vision and head still felt off. Like a projector that's been bumped askew, I wanted nothing more than to be realigned. I tiptoed through the morning, knowing I had an 8 hour teaching day ahead of me. The thought of imminent and loud chaos was enough to put me back in I thought. However, I can safely say the migraine never returned and I hope it stays away. It made it's slow and debilitating point. I imagine the early stages of a python constricting your skull to be similar to a migraine. But maybe I'm just a big baby.

Migraine, check.

Korea School Cancellation

Yeah, yeah...kids freak when school is cancelled. I remember being promised flurries, looking out my window and having miniature seizures. Willing the clouds to snow more than the weatherman promised and release me from my horrible life of show n' tell, snack time, and one hour recess. Wherein I could watch Maury and play Sega Genesis in my pajamas until dinner. Of course if that failed I would dare the feeble mind of our Superintendent to prematurely cancel school. In that case, less snow was favored, as it proved I had won a battle of the minds from my bedroom window. 

Well now I'm a grown up. A grown up teaching English in Korea. I never thought I would feel that same joy ever again. Although I plan to become an elementary school teacher when I return to the US, I never thought I would experience a school cancellation in Korea. The land where education comes before physical exercise, healthy sleeping habits, and normal social interactions. Especially since I teach at an after school, um....school, called a "hagwon." Most students come here after school in case any of the aforementioned perils should attack them on their walk home. The stage is thus set for education to overcome even common sense.

As word got out that schools across the country would be closed as Typhoon Bolaven swung up towards the west coast of the peninsula, I sat and stared out my window. I wasn't willing school teachers or storm clouds this time, but wondering if I could slide out the crack of my 5th story window. After speaking to our manager I learned we would remain open until further notice. I heard open and my idiotic hope was crushed.

What's this? What's this? 

My phone's blinking on the chair! 

What's this?

A message sent with care!

What's this?

I can't believe my eyes.

I must be dreaming, or perhaps there's been an err!

What's this!

School's canceled and it feels unbelievable. 

Our manager sent us a message telling us to rest and not to risk the treacherous 400 m. to work tomorrow. I immediately high fived my girlfriend with my foot and thought of all I would do with my new day off. Not only that, but the positive changes it would have on the rest of my week. A 5 day work week becomes a 3 day pleasure stroll. An impromptu opportunity to shack up inside, watch movies, and like my childhood...play video games. Little did I realize how my teachers were enjoying the very same thing as I was. 

Korea School Cancellation, check.

Gyeongju

This past weekend I had 5 days off and wanted to explore Korea more than I have. I have been to all of the major cities and a few beaches during the warmer months. Gyeongju is a city on the east coast about an hour north of Busan. It's self appointed nickname is the "museum without walls," and I guess I could buy that. The downtown boasts several interesting destinations within walking distance. All or most of the sites showcase the ancient Silla dynasty and their Buddhist upbringing.

We stayed in a hostel in the center of downtown, which was great for walking through Anpaji Pond, the Tumuli, and seeing the observation tower. I think Stephanie and I were more impressed with the lotus pond. I don't think I'd ever seen lotus plants that big or plentiful. After a day of walking we looked for a decent restaurant around the hostel but found only chain restaurants. We settled for a so-so bulgogi restaurant, overpaid, and left to look for a bar.

There are none in the main city center. I was stunned. Luckily a blog I found let us in on a university area nearby that had everything we were looking for. We found a great pizza place believe it or not and had some beers outside on a picnic table. The next night we would come back to partake in some of the best dalkgalbi we've had in Korea and a convenience store that sold Vietnamese beer. If you're in the neighborhood I have a great street to recommend.

Our last full day in Gyeongju we got up early and headed for Bulguksa, Korea's most famous temple. On the outskirts of the city and on a mountain slope sits the Buddhist temple grounds known for it's seamless existence in the mountain. Beautifully laid out, I wasn't so amazed at the buildings as much as Kyoto's but the temple grounds were very nice. Above Bulguksa was Seokguram grotto, housing a huge white granite buddha. Sadly I couldn't take pictures but it was beautiful.

Great place to visit, some nice sites, good food, and only an hour from Busan.

Gyeongju, check.

Hard Bristles

Here's a fact for ya. Adam Thomas never had a cavity. My teeth hate 'em and simply won't give them the time of day. I owe it to genes or more likely an undying loyalty to my dentist Dr. Rocco. From Grandfather to grandson, our family has been trusting the Rocco's with our pearly whites. Dr. Rocco Jr. never let me down and always led me on a path of righteous smiling.

One cardinal rule from the Roc was the toothbrush bristle. It was either soft or medium. That's it. No fancy designs and mountain landscapes necessary, just buy the soft or medium bristle. I've stuck by those words all my life. Then I left my toothbrush at Mud Fest and had to buy one in Korea.

I had no idea what toothbrush I was buying. I went for a simple color, slight variation on the bristle size and position, but nothing too exciting. I didn't give it much mind and like many of you I thought "a toothbrush is a toothbrush." Well a few brushes in I've come to the conclusion that I broke the Roc's golden rule and have a grim future ahead of me. I got hard. Hard bristles.

Being hard isn't all 2Pac and 50 Cent fun. It hurts the ones you love the most. Every time I brush, it literally feels like my teeth are being moved around inside my gums. I can't even brush the front chompers without a numb tingling sensation afterwards. Poor guys. You fight off cavities your whole life and this is how I tip my cap to you. Just applying toothpaste with a jackhammer.

I thought hard bristles were reserved for grandparents with false teeth made from oak and cement. That's not for me. I have to change my whole brushing technique. I lightly sway the brush back and forth like I'm painting the happiest pine trees in a damn water-color. It's a hard knock life.

Hard bristles, check.

Boryeong Mud Festival

Stephanie and I were both saying that we haven't had this much fun in South Korea in a long time. To make matters better we were expecting it to be pretty stupid. We both passed on the event last summer. Jumping around in mud and wrestling US Army guys is just something I've grown out of.

The Boryeong Mud Festival is a yearly event in the coastal city that boasts a healthy, vitamin enriched mud. Originally, locals would come both near and far to rub the mud on their skin and thus be beautiful. Visiting teachers and other foreigners have since caught on and Boryeong has seized the opportunity for huge tourism dollars. They have since added a good music lineup (by Korean standards) of foreign artists. Akon and Infected Mushroom headlined this years event. As well as a side stage on the beach with local acts from across the country. All of this is not to overshadow the main draw to the festival. 


Mud Plaza is set up right along the beach, as old men and women carry buckets of mud to a number of troughs. Surrounding the troughs is a theme park of inflatable slides, bouncy rooms, and tunnels to highlight the muddy experience. We skipped the theme park because the lines were pretty long and just covered ourselves from hair to butt crack to toenail in mud. It was way more fun than I thought and I didn't have to get beat into submission by Private 1st Class Peter Chinchetta. 


For me though, the best part was the weather. After two and a half weeks of constant cloudy skies and monsoon rains we had a picture perfect weekend at the beach. The town itself reminded me of Jersey shore towns with the souvenir shops and restaurants dotted along the beach. One of the bands played some covers that would've made me do a double take for Mr. Green Genes. The ocean was unbelievably warm and everyone in the crowd was having a good and non-obnoxious time. Korea best!

Boryeong Mud Festival, check

Usher

"You make me wanna leave the one I'm with, start a new relationship, with you. This is what you do."

- Usher

    

 I still remember that video. West Side Story dance fighting at it's best. Sadly I did not meet Usher, instead I was an usher. For my hagwon's mathematics presentation for prospective Korean parents. A perfect Friday night.

The past month or so our hagwon has been desperately trying to sign up more students. The quintessential problem with our school and many others, it drives me crazy to waste time and effort trying to make more money than better students. I have solicited outside the hagwon handing out packets of tissues with our school's logo, called our students at home so their parents could see them speaking English to us, and last week we canceled classes with current students to attend a math seminar completely in Korean.

But the Thomas Try Out I would gladly take back over any other was having to usher one of these events. The event was held in a rented out 6th floor room. It had maybe 21 tables with 7 seats at each, nice table cloths, snacks and bottled water atop each. Typical Holiday Inn presentation room type stuff. When you came up the elevator and exited there was the table with sign-in sheet and information packets. Then there were your friendly white-faced Americans, ready to escort you on an evening of awkwardness.

Stephanie and I were asked to usher the prospective clients into a seat. They had no assigned seats thus making our job pointless from the start. I stood in front of them, hands behind my back, sweat coming through my t-shirt, gesturing to a table somewhere in the middle of the pack. They would always walk a few steps than go in the opposite direction, farther from the stage or right up front. I would walk back to my spot by the elevator and pray for death.

When most of the expected attendance never came, my duties were altered to include intrusive and light conversation with our seated guests. I would talk to them for a minute or so, until we both established how clueless we were as to what the other was saying. If their English was very limited I would suggest they have some of the complimentary refreshments on the table that they were already eating anyway. I was never happier to see the presentation start so I could sit down and put myself out of my misery.

Then of course we had to sit through an hour and a half of revolutionary changes to the Korean Public school math exams. We stayed 30 minutes longer than we were initially supposed to and almost missed a previous engagement with some friends that night. It was uncomfortable and pointless and I would've rather gotten dance-punched by Usher than ever do it again.


Usher, check

Korean Bathroom

Yes they have toilets. As far as I know most homes have a porcelain throne rather than the very un-American "hole in the ground." That's not to say you won't find them. I've seen one in a coastal town a couple hours outside of Gwangju. Seen it and used it. It was fun.

Public restrooms vary with the establishment. If you're buying international cuisine you'll have a remarkably clean john to sit on. Bus terminals and rest stops, surprisingly nice. Smaller mom and pop restaurants will typically share a public bathroom, usually outside and around the corner. More like what we're used to in a public restroom in the States. But I want to talk about my bathroom.

I've lived here for 15 months and 3 apartments. The powder rooms were all the same except in size. My current bathroom is the smallest of the three but similar to most of my friend's. Toilet, mirror, medicine cabinet, and shower head. However, there is no bathtub or shower curtain to divvy up some privacy. Making every bathroom adventure a get-a-way resort. All inclusive, baby.

Turtle-head Bay, Hawaii

It was hard to get used to but like a shower on a winter morning it took some warming up. Having a shower, toilet, sink all in one has several advantages. Aside from the teeth brushing/shower combo that many adult males already partake in, I throw in a little tinkle. Not in the shower like some savages, but right into the potty like a good boy. This can also work vice versa. Perhaps a particularly foul number two requires a total body clean up? Stephanie! Get the shower head, I need to be hosed down!

But why stop there? The entire bathroom can be cleaned while you're cleaning yourself. Mildew, soap scum, beard trimmings. Scrubbed and washed away with the all encompassing shower head. It can be problematic if someone is in the shower and a fully clothed person needs to use the restroom. But that's why we keep a slicker and rain boots by the door.

Korean Bathroom, check

*Thomas Tried Out