Another Installment

It has been a long time since the last message home, probably a good thing as I was suffering from some serious negativity, followed by depression and add a little homesickness. Luckily there was some light at the end of the tunnel, and these days my world is all shiny and happy!

Christmas slowly slid by, New Years came and went without any fanfare, and with February fast approaching and a "new found respect for life" (to quote a favorite film of mine) I thought it was high time I got my arse in gear and experienced some of the culture. I suppose that things at my Hogwan were in a dismal state and at a point when I was ready to chuck it all in and head home, funny enough there was our monthly night out to attend.

Though I figured that it would be cancelled due to the tension at work, it was not! So, I begged the newest teacher (April) to wait around and come with us. I really couldn't bear the thought of a night out with the director and the vice director all by myself, forget about it! And off we went, shock, horror, disbelief, it was an excellent night! We began at the pork restaurant that I had the pleasure of enjoying once before. I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but my director once told me the way things are done in Korea, when you are upset with a co-worker you go out and get drunk and yell each other (essentially).
Sure enough, April and I arrive and almost immediately she is getting blasted by the vice director for all the things she has been doing wrong since she had started. I felt like a real arse for making her come! Anyways, there is plenty of Soju to go round and everyone is getting totally trashed but the night is getting better and better. I don't enjoy Soju so I was drinking Hite(the beer of choice here) except it wasn't acceptable that I sip the beer, I had to shoot it along with my friendly Soju drinkers.
Needless to say, I was feeling the drink. Conversation is rapidly disinegrating, there is tonnes of sexual innuendo, my director is making less sense by the second, and then I am told that Aprils boyfriend will be joining us! He just happens to be a Korean that has grown up in Australia, and speaks perfect English! I was ecstatic.
For the first time in a long time I am truly comfortable around a bunch of Koreans and not feeling left out at all! I think I made a friend!
So, I look around and notice that the restaurant is pretty closed and the rowdy bunch is holding things up, next thing I know we are leaving...the group is shouting nurobang! nurobang! I am like: What? But I am dragged along across the street to experience a rather famous Korean pastime. Karaoke! You have never experienced Karaoke unless you've done it here.
We end up in a closed room about the size of a large bathroom, with a huge TV on one end and a massive table with tambourines! Put your imagination to the test, but for humours sake I have included pictures...Enjoy. The photos of the girl in pink is April, and the guy in the striped shirt is Dean, her beau. The other woman is the vice director, and the other fella is our bookseller! (don't ask) and we are in the nurobang! What a trip! Please note the cans of Hite, tambourines, and the shaky pictures! And yes, I sang. "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Step by Step" (I will let you think about that one for a while)...

So all, there will be more to follow this post in short order, keep your pants on.