Oh yeah. I moved to Korea because there was a job here, a job I hoped would be a good one for a year and offer some new experiences. I think I have mentioned before that Korea has greatly exceeded all of my somewhat cautious expectations. I have a good job teaching mostly engaged students. There are a few things that bother me- I wish I could communicate with more colleagues at school. Hell, I wish I could communicate with Jenny at all at school... I wish it didn't take 30 seconds more than it should to calm the class down and begin (it sounds like such a short time, but in teacher time that is an age). It is not that they are badly behaved, far from it. They are just very noisy and I am speaking in a language some of them don't quite fully grasp (to put it loosely).
Some of you not in Korea are no doubt thinking "calm them down?" They're Asian, surely they just sit there in silence listening to me extrapolating the nuances of the English language for them. But of course this is not the case. Korean teenagers are still teenagers are still teenagers, and while they are quiet and respectful during my lessons, during the 10 minute passing period they are loud, talking and texting, listening to MP3s, and arriving after the bell. Things you would never see, especially in an American school, are normal here. And my perception is the kids are more or less left to themselves during this time- not that I would understand the words, but I don't think more than once this year has a member of staff come out of their office or classroom to tell students to be quiet. What a change from England then. So for me, there is some disconnect between seeing Korean teenagers acting like "normal" teens (what teen, anywhere, is normal, I ask you...) and the silent and respectful young adults in my classroom. So this brings me to my school's festival.
Over the course of a day and a half, lessons were suspended at my school while all manner of games, competitions, performances, and other fun things took the place of the normal, staid day. It felt like a culture I belonged to, like an American school. Certainly any English readers are now confused, as schools across prisons are merely youth prisons. And although I know one teacher put in a huge amount of time to organize a successful festival, when the day finally came, it seemed like the students were running everything themselves. I have no idea if or when attendance was taken; certainly it didn't seem like all the students were present. I don't think anyone cared. For a country obsessed with testing, and one that uses what I don't feel bad calling outdated pedagogical methods, it was so strange to see students assuming leadership and being so proactive. In a strange way, although I couldn't understand a word anyone was saying, it was the day I felt most connected to my school, because the culture that day was one I understood. When a couple of very brave teachers did some amazing singing and even some outrageous dancing, and all the students clapped and cheered them on, you could have been anywhere in the world (except Britain). Students danced and sang in front of a full gym, and their peers cheered and encouraged them.
So what? I have proven Korean teenagers are not automatons, which logic would finally show anyone, no matter what sort of prejudices they might hold. I suppose this is a good example of the warmth and happiness slightly below the surface that so many Koreans have. Actually, once again, in the end, it is simpler and more personal than that. Every day, I show up on time, teach my classes, thank my students and co-teachers, and go home. I teach good lessons, plan when I must, and spend too much of my day on facebook and soccer websites and blogs. Even though I eat lunch in the staff canteen every day, most days I might as well be dining alone. But for one day, when the lights dimmed and the lessons went untaught, for that I day I was blissfully the same as my Korean colleagues, just another face in the crowd. I was normal. Just like Korean teenagers.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
on Bangkok
This blog entry is my nemesis; I have been thinking about it for more than a week now, and even started it last night. I reached a whopping two sentences (fewer words than just this) before succumbing to frustration. I liked Bangkok, for a variety of I think strange and personal reasons, but somehow trying to weave my ideas into some bare description of the city fails miserably.
Bangkok is just another big city. For as long as I can remember, I have resisted this phrase. London is not Paris, and New York is far different from London, despite what many on both sides of the Atlantic seem to believe (or is it like to tell themselves?). But Bangkok, well, it did remind of Seoul. No definable center. A scattered skyline. Cheap, but slightly inefficient, public transportation (in fairness to Seoul, it is positively light years ahead of Bangkok in this area). Seemingly good restaurants in every neighborhood. So why, if Bangkok offered nothing that felt new, did I like it?
First impressions matter. I cannot understand people who don't believe this. I am on the side that you can learn a tremendous amount about a person (or city) in a very short time. Bangkok airport is airy, modern, and convenient. It was easy to get on a bus that went straight to our hotel's street, and once we got to the hotel, my regular readers know what I saw- the Manchester United Bar and Restaurant of Thailand. How could I not be happy? Also, Jenny and I had agreed before we arrived on a loose itinerary. It pretty much consisted of Thai massages every day for her, shopping for some bargains, indulging in one temple for my curiosity, and finding good food. A very simple three and a half days, and of course we must avoid swine flu and watch the season kick off in the United bar. In long (I was going to say short but that wasn't), after busying ourselves and getting too little sleep in Vietnam, Bangkok was going to be about indulgence. So my travel partner and I were in agreement and stuck to this. Also important.
And we did eat well, if not always cheaply. I found some very cool original T-shirts (being that I am the poster child for Stuff White People Like, of course finding bargain shirts in Thailand is important to me...) and Jenny bought some cheap, fashionable clothing. We had hour long massages together and even visited two amazing temples- they were right across the river from each other. Convenient for tourists- way to think WAY ahead Bangkok. Even a couple of people, perhaps inevitably, trying to rip us off couldn't dampen our mood.
Perhaps our most memorable experience was drinks at sunset on the roof of the Banyan Tree hotel- I love posh hotels; perhaps a morbid fascination with what I cannot have. I similarly crave a Swiss watch. But I believe our most memorable experience was the low point of Bangkok. The famous Kho San Road. The meeting point for seemingly every young English speaking backpacker in all Asia. Expat hang out street. We have a similar street/neighbourhood in Seoul, but Itaewon is more nuanced than this street. Jenny and I hated it, even though we gave it a look and were so thirsty we sat in a horrible bar for a couple of beers. It is the sort of place any 18 year old in the world would think is the most amazing place on earth- I know I would have felt this way. And sadly, some 28 year olds, and even older, still seemed drawn to it. Why live abroad to immerse yourself with foreigners? Oh, I forgot, others who choose to live abroad are "like minded". Hogwash, or Pugwash if you will (yeah Doylie!).
I'm spending too long on a low point when I mean to simply say that our mutual revulsion at our surroundings gave us quite a laugh, and we were glad to be back in our rather more affluent hotel neighbourhood soon after. Perhaps it is smugness, but something about hating that place made me like Bangkok more. Knowing I could avoid this, as no doubt many sensible foreigners do also (a friend mentioned it in an email with some tips about Bangkok, and hated it also) gave me a frame of reference in Bangkok that I lacked in Vietnam. I understood Bangkok through the prism of Seoul, whereas in Vietnam even Bosnia and Turkey were grossly inadequate primers for the visceral nature of Hanoi. So Bangkok was quickly comfortable- I forgot, there are even Boots and loads of cheap(er than Seoul) English magazines.
This is the last blog I write in one draft; from now on they will be more polished as I've just written too many words to say I liked Bangkok because I felt comfortable and relaxed there. No more travel blogs; I have several ideas I've been shelving while trying to write this frustrating piece.
Bangkok is just another big city. For as long as I can remember, I have resisted this phrase. London is not Paris, and New York is far different from London, despite what many on both sides of the Atlantic seem to believe (or is it like to tell themselves?). But Bangkok, well, it did remind of Seoul. No definable center. A scattered skyline. Cheap, but slightly inefficient, public transportation (in fairness to Seoul, it is positively light years ahead of Bangkok in this area). Seemingly good restaurants in every neighborhood. So why, if Bangkok offered nothing that felt new, did I like it?
First impressions matter. I cannot understand people who don't believe this. I am on the side that you can learn a tremendous amount about a person (or city) in a very short time. Bangkok airport is airy, modern, and convenient. It was easy to get on a bus that went straight to our hotel's street, and once we got to the hotel, my regular readers know what I saw- the Manchester United Bar and Restaurant of Thailand. How could I not be happy? Also, Jenny and I had agreed before we arrived on a loose itinerary. It pretty much consisted of Thai massages every day for her, shopping for some bargains, indulging in one temple for my curiosity, and finding good food. A very simple three and a half days, and of course we must avoid swine flu and watch the season kick off in the United bar. In long (I was going to say short but that wasn't), after busying ourselves and getting too little sleep in Vietnam, Bangkok was going to be about indulgence. So my travel partner and I were in agreement and stuck to this. Also important.
And we did eat well, if not always cheaply. I found some very cool original T-shirts (being that I am the poster child for Stuff White People Like, of course finding bargain shirts in Thailand is important to me...) and Jenny bought some cheap, fashionable clothing. We had hour long massages together and even visited two amazing temples- they were right across the river from each other. Convenient for tourists- way to think WAY ahead Bangkok. Even a couple of people, perhaps inevitably, trying to rip us off couldn't dampen our mood.
Perhaps our most memorable experience was drinks at sunset on the roof of the Banyan Tree hotel- I love posh hotels; perhaps a morbid fascination with what I cannot have. I similarly crave a Swiss watch. But I believe our most memorable experience was the low point of Bangkok. The famous Kho San Road. The meeting point for seemingly every young English speaking backpacker in all Asia. Expat hang out street. We have a similar street/neighbourhood in Seoul, but Itaewon is more nuanced than this street. Jenny and I hated it, even though we gave it a look and were so thirsty we sat in a horrible bar for a couple of beers. It is the sort of place any 18 year old in the world would think is the most amazing place on earth- I know I would have felt this way. And sadly, some 28 year olds, and even older, still seemed drawn to it. Why live abroad to immerse yourself with foreigners? Oh, I forgot, others who choose to live abroad are "like minded". Hogwash, or Pugwash if you will (yeah Doylie!).
I'm spending too long on a low point when I mean to simply say that our mutual revulsion at our surroundings gave us quite a laugh, and we were glad to be back in our rather more affluent hotel neighbourhood soon after. Perhaps it is smugness, but something about hating that place made me like Bangkok more. Knowing I could avoid this, as no doubt many sensible foreigners do also (a friend mentioned it in an email with some tips about Bangkok, and hated it also) gave me a frame of reference in Bangkok that I lacked in Vietnam. I understood Bangkok through the prism of Seoul, whereas in Vietnam even Bosnia and Turkey were grossly inadequate primers for the visceral nature of Hanoi. So Bangkok was quickly comfortable- I forgot, there are even Boots and loads of cheap(er than Seoul) English magazines.
This is the last blog I write in one draft; from now on they will be more polished as I've just written too many words to say I liked Bangkok because I felt comfortable and relaxed there. No more travel blogs; I have several ideas I've been shelving while trying to write this frustrating piece.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
on Vietnam
I spent just seven days in Vietnam, just enough time to form some initial thoughts. I don't think I have ever heard anyone say Vietnam is not amazing; it seems to always be on people's favorite places/dream vacations lists. I found the (north) country beautiful, fascinating, cheap and a little out of my comfort zone. In short, an excellent place for a holiday. But rather than extol its virtues I am going to attempt to examine why it is praised more carefully, as there are certain aspects of Vietnam that go unmentioned by any Lonely Planet or whatever your guidebook of choice might be.
Vietnam is a beautiful country, although Hanoi is FAR from a beautiful city. A fascinating one, although not a particularly diverting one. It is also boiling hot in August and lacks any form of efficient transport. Even walking the crowded streets is quite an adventure. But the beauty of Vietnam- I have been trying to carefully consider this. Vietnam has what I can perhaps coin as "accessible beauty". Much of Hanoi's tourist revenue seems to be based around getting you out of Hanoi. A Ha Long Bay trip is a must- just three hours away by bus, and you can choose one day, two day, or three day trips to give one example. There are countless booking agencies that arrange an early morning hotel pickup for everything from adventure tourism to observing ethnic minorities in their natural environment. So being a relatively small country dependent on tourism for income, a traveller has a wealth of affordable options. People simply don't do Vietnam weekend breaks; we encountered more people visiting for closer to a month than our admittedly too short seven days.
So what? I am in danger of losing my point, if I have not digressed too far already. Vietnam is beautiful because it is affordable and available, but availability seems to be the key to the perception. One of the most beautiful countries I have visited is Slovakia, another is Korea. Neither of these countries has the tourist hordes of Vietnam. And the infrastructure in these two countries does not enable people to easily see the highlights. In fact, it can be damn difficult to visit mountains, valleys and other natural wonders from the capitals. Whereas Iceland, another rising tourism star, offers almost nothing in Reykjavik during the week save escapes from the "city" into the amazing and unique countryside. So Iceland worth visiting, Slovakia is notable for the fact that Bratislava is situated ideally between Vienna and Budapest so that one (Yank) could have breakfast in Vienna, lunch in Bratislava, and be in Budapest for dinner. Hardly a journey to soak in the natural wonders, yet sadly all too common with certain tourist sets. I guess a simple point- Vietnam may indeed be "beautiful", but so are so many other places; Vietnam is just easier.
And I mentioned hordes of tourists earlier. So the opportunity exists, whether alone or with others, to meet "like minded" people. More and more, I have come to abhor this phrase. Fun people, people who like you are traveling in a foreign country, and generally for the young this means a foreigner rather than a local, you can meet plenty of people. But if I say somewhat immodestly that I have had more opportunities to travel than most, I would put the number of "like minded" people I have encountered in these circumstances at around three. (I have considered the possibility that I'm so weird there just aren't that many people like me around, but quickly discarded that idea. Ludicrous.) But because you get on a boat to party, swim and see sights for three days with people who are on the boat for the same reasons, an artificial bond is created. So another feather in Vietnam's cap- it brings "like minded" foreigners together.
I do not mean to disparage Vietnam; I had a good time there and would like to return. But I think people reflect too little on what exactly they encounter in places like Vietnam- it is a shockingly different culture, up close and personal, but with a tremendous amount of personal safety and freedom. The poverty of Vietnam, which I have neglected to mention, is there to see, not experience. Perhaps at long last this is the crux of my blog- Vietnam is a country to see and enjoy, not experience. Is it such a bad thing to see, to photograph, to enjoy in its cheapness without really considering the place itself? I don't really have an answer (I think more than anything else this is the recurring theme of my blog- I have no answers). I would say that only a discerning few (not including myself in this case) leave Vietnam more deeply aware of its cultures and traditions, of its politics and history. This is in spite of English being fairly readily spoken.
One thing I must note- Ha Long Bay is not simply beautiful, it is quite possibly the most beautiful place on earth I have visited. This is in spite of less than perfect (though far from bad) weather. So does seeing this wonder justify considering Vietnam to be "amazing", to be more incredible than a Slovakia or a Korea? Of course, I have no idea about that...
Vietnam is a beautiful country, although Hanoi is FAR from a beautiful city. A fascinating one, although not a particularly diverting one. It is also boiling hot in August and lacks any form of efficient transport. Even walking the crowded streets is quite an adventure. But the beauty of Vietnam- I have been trying to carefully consider this. Vietnam has what I can perhaps coin as "accessible beauty". Much of Hanoi's tourist revenue seems to be based around getting you out of Hanoi. A Ha Long Bay trip is a must- just three hours away by bus, and you can choose one day, two day, or three day trips to give one example. There are countless booking agencies that arrange an early morning hotel pickup for everything from adventure tourism to observing ethnic minorities in their natural environment. So being a relatively small country dependent on tourism for income, a traveller has a wealth of affordable options. People simply don't do Vietnam weekend breaks; we encountered more people visiting for closer to a month than our admittedly too short seven days.
So what? I am in danger of losing my point, if I have not digressed too far already. Vietnam is beautiful because it is affordable and available, but availability seems to be the key to the perception. One of the most beautiful countries I have visited is Slovakia, another is Korea. Neither of these countries has the tourist hordes of Vietnam. And the infrastructure in these two countries does not enable people to easily see the highlights. In fact, it can be damn difficult to visit mountains, valleys and other natural wonders from the capitals. Whereas Iceland, another rising tourism star, offers almost nothing in Reykjavik during the week save escapes from the "city" into the amazing and unique countryside. So Iceland worth visiting, Slovakia is notable for the fact that Bratislava is situated ideally between Vienna and Budapest so that one (Yank) could have breakfast in Vienna, lunch in Bratislava, and be in Budapest for dinner. Hardly a journey to soak in the natural wonders, yet sadly all too common with certain tourist sets. I guess a simple point- Vietnam may indeed be "beautiful", but so are so many other places; Vietnam is just easier.
And I mentioned hordes of tourists earlier. So the opportunity exists, whether alone or with others, to meet "like minded" people. More and more, I have come to abhor this phrase. Fun people, people who like you are traveling in a foreign country, and generally for the young this means a foreigner rather than a local, you can meet plenty of people. But if I say somewhat immodestly that I have had more opportunities to travel than most, I would put the number of "like minded" people I have encountered in these circumstances at around three. (I have considered the possibility that I'm so weird there just aren't that many people like me around, but quickly discarded that idea. Ludicrous.) But because you get on a boat to party, swim and see sights for three days with people who are on the boat for the same reasons, an artificial bond is created. So another feather in Vietnam's cap- it brings "like minded" foreigners together.
I do not mean to disparage Vietnam; I had a good time there and would like to return. But I think people reflect too little on what exactly they encounter in places like Vietnam- it is a shockingly different culture, up close and personal, but with a tremendous amount of personal safety and freedom. The poverty of Vietnam, which I have neglected to mention, is there to see, not experience. Perhaps at long last this is the crux of my blog- Vietnam is a country to see and enjoy, not experience. Is it such a bad thing to see, to photograph, to enjoy in its cheapness without really considering the place itself? I don't really have an answer (I think more than anything else this is the recurring theme of my blog- I have no answers). I would say that only a discerning few (not including myself in this case) leave Vietnam more deeply aware of its cultures and traditions, of its politics and history. This is in spite of English being fairly readily spoken.
One thing I must note- Ha Long Bay is not simply beautiful, it is quite possibly the most beautiful place on earth I have visited. This is in spite of less than perfect (though far from bad) weather. So does seeing this wonder justify considering Vietnam to be "amazing", to be more incredible than a Slovakia or a Korea? Of course, I have no idea about that...
Friday, August 7, 2009
on anticipation
Tomorrow morning I am off to Vietnam! I have, as usual, done almost no research about Hanoi- if it wasn't for Jenny I would have been completely unaware of the existence of Halong Bay, which I anticipate will be the highlight of the trip. It's a strange time, the day before a trip. There are last minute purchases to be made, papers to be printed, things to be double checked. It's generally busy, and I am usually quite the fan of heading for a big night out before heading out on an adventure. Although as I get older and had once midadventure in Sweden and a close call in London last year, perhaps it is better to just relax. But time seems to crawl by once the last minute things have been done. I should be savouring these final moments of tranquility alone; instead my mind wanders toward the more mundane aspects of the trip.
For the record, I am more excited about this trip than any I have taken in the last four years, save my for ill fated New York misadventure. I feel like I did when I took my first trip onto the European continent. And like that trip, place doesn't matter so much. I could be going to Shanghai, Chiang Mai, Malaysia or the Phillipines and I would feel the same. Vietnam and Thailand happened to just offer convenient (for the most part) and cheap flights. Probably no one who reads this knows or would remember, but my first European foray- the whole grand continent at my doorstep, and where did I go? My cheap flights were booked in and out of Turin! Turin (which I loved) and Genoa- how hilarious in hindsight. The trip did end up including two more famous and amazing places- Florence and Cinque Terre, but that was not planned at the start...
Excited but also so aware of the aspects of travel that are often forgetten during the mouth watering days beforehand, and more often than not ignored when reflecting on the trip and posting photos on facebook. Things like a terrible airport breakfast after a LONG bus ride at 7 am tomorrow. The possibility of a delayed flight, and the question of the quality of our accomodation in Hanoi, although we did follow a friend's rec who was there just a short time ago. Thinking about things like the aching minutes between actually landing on the runway and being able to explore the city- 10 minutes or more to taxi, five minutes to deplane, at least 15 minutes for my visa/passport control... you get the idea. Travel is rightly thought of as one of the most rewarding things we can do, but so much of it is the idea of travel, rather than the reality. I'm almost blatantly ripping off Alain de Botton on this point, and anyone who wants to read something wonderful and insightful explaing travel far more eloquently than I ever could MUST read The Art of Travel. I dislike the word valuable to describe nonfiction, but in this case it applies.
Oh yeah, and it's about 40 degrees in these countries right now. That's celsius people. Not pleasant. Yet despite all this, I remain Andy Dufrense when traveling. I hope. Or rather more accurately, I believe. I believe something is to be gained from travel; it is not just a time to turn off your brain and sit numbing yourself on the beach. (Note: when I am fifty or have small children, I may feel entirely different about that statement.) But for now, I look to travel for stimulation that is not present in my daily life, even if my daily life is already abroad. And off the top of my head, I can think of three absolutely perfect experiences I have had while traveling. Those alone are worth the thousands of dollars, pounds, kroner and now won I have flushed away through my twenties (but what twenties they have been... 30s, you already have a TON of catching up to do...)
So is a reason travel is so wonderful is that I can feel in a matter of minutes while reflecting nervous, excited, bored, creative, hopeful, worried and nostalgic before I have even left. What other thing that we do (I don't intend to compare this to things like family memories or the birth of a child or anything) gives us not only satisfaction, but a whole range of emotions and perhaps some greater self awareness. My feeling as I finish writing this is something else entirely. I am humbled and grateful; James is on Itunes and my thoughts happily drift to London and concerts and pushing our way to the front and dancing our asses off at the Roxy...
For the record, I am more excited about this trip than any I have taken in the last four years, save my for ill fated New York misadventure. I feel like I did when I took my first trip onto the European continent. And like that trip, place doesn't matter so much. I could be going to Shanghai, Chiang Mai, Malaysia or the Phillipines and I would feel the same. Vietnam and Thailand happened to just offer convenient (for the most part) and cheap flights. Probably no one who reads this knows or would remember, but my first European foray- the whole grand continent at my doorstep, and where did I go? My cheap flights were booked in and out of Turin! Turin (which I loved) and Genoa- how hilarious in hindsight. The trip did end up including two more famous and amazing places- Florence and Cinque Terre, but that was not planned at the start...
Excited but also so aware of the aspects of travel that are often forgetten during the mouth watering days beforehand, and more often than not ignored when reflecting on the trip and posting photos on facebook. Things like a terrible airport breakfast after a LONG bus ride at 7 am tomorrow. The possibility of a delayed flight, and the question of the quality of our accomodation in Hanoi, although we did follow a friend's rec who was there just a short time ago. Thinking about things like the aching minutes between actually landing on the runway and being able to explore the city- 10 minutes or more to taxi, five minutes to deplane, at least 15 minutes for my visa/passport control... you get the idea. Travel is rightly thought of as one of the most rewarding things we can do, but so much of it is the idea of travel, rather than the reality. I'm almost blatantly ripping off Alain de Botton on this point, and anyone who wants to read something wonderful and insightful explaing travel far more eloquently than I ever could MUST read The Art of Travel. I dislike the word valuable to describe nonfiction, but in this case it applies.
Oh yeah, and it's about 40 degrees in these countries right now. That's celsius people. Not pleasant. Yet despite all this, I remain Andy Dufrense when traveling. I hope. Or rather more accurately, I believe. I believe something is to be gained from travel; it is not just a time to turn off your brain and sit numbing yourself on the beach. (Note: when I am fifty or have small children, I may feel entirely different about that statement.) But for now, I look to travel for stimulation that is not present in my daily life, even if my daily life is already abroad. And off the top of my head, I can think of three absolutely perfect experiences I have had while traveling. Those alone are worth the thousands of dollars, pounds, kroner and now won I have flushed away through my twenties (but what twenties they have been... 30s, you already have a TON of catching up to do...)
So is a reason travel is so wonderful is that I can feel in a matter of minutes while reflecting nervous, excited, bored, creative, hopeful, worried and nostalgic before I have even left. What other thing that we do (I don't intend to compare this to things like family memories or the birth of a child or anything) gives us not only satisfaction, but a whole range of emotions and perhaps some greater self awareness. My feeling as I finish writing this is something else entirely. I am humbled and grateful; James is on Itunes and my thoughts happily drift to London and concerts and pushing our way to the front and dancing our asses off at the Roxy...
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
on the beautiful game...
The hotel reservations for Bangkok are finalized! What does this have to do with soccer? I actually pleaded and maybe even begged Jenny to stay at the hotel with the official Manchester United bar/restaurant of Thailand! (Please note: this is a four star, newly opened hotel with a pool/swim up bar, spa, sauna, etc- she is not exactly going to squalor!) First match- United v Birmingham live in Thailand! SWEEEEET! I'm not sure how well I'm going to be able to contain the exclamation points in this post, such is my excitement for the new season, regardless of the fact that I am worried this could be a down year for United. That said, I like to think I follow football as much as any crazed fan in Britain, so I need to put some predictions down to test myself. So here it is, a season preview!
United- United's midfield looks really shaky, as does the bench unless Michael Owen miraculously stays healthy all year. I don't see this happening, so unless there is some action in the still open transfer window, I think a few unnecessary points will be lost. Maybe a buy in the January window after some of this summer madness? The defense is still solid, although Van der Sar out for 2 months, at his age, is a real worry. I actually get the Manchester United channel here in Korea (apparently for the other 22 hours of the day this channel shows other programming, but I have never bothered to investigate this) and I am worried that some of my 4 am wake up calls will result in a sour mood at school, whereas except for one occasion this spring, I was tired but happy at work.
Chelsea- Looks the part of title winners/far into the champion's league. Everyone is saying the right things about the new manager, they beat some quality opposition in the preseason, and they have a favorable early schedule. Last season the Essien injury and Drogba sulking derailed the season; now that the players are a year older, are they any more adept at dealing a similar situation this year? Probably not. Did the captain's flirtation with Citeh affect the locker room? Is their goalkeeper one of the world's best, or is he a little past it?
Liverpool- Up until the sale of Alonso, mentioned as possible front runners. I don't see it. Liverpool possess arguably the two finest players in the Premiership, although one of them seems to have hamstrings that snap once a fortnight. Can they add another midfielder for depth after this sale? Can they continue their last minute goal luck from last season? Without question, this is the toughest team to place. First? Fifth? Bridesmaids again?
Arsenal- The team everybody thinks City will supplant in the top four? But why? A whole season of Arshavin, plus healthy Eduardo and Rosicky? As ever, thin in depth, but a strong strike force and seemingly a strong club spirit. I'm going out on a limb to say that they must be feeling a little "No one believes in us" at this point and feel like they have something to prove. I'm not sure if this season will finally break their trophy drought, but this team will be better than people expect, although a tough opening fixture could have the vultures circling very, very early.
City- Can they crack the top four? How many more players will they bring in before the transfer deadline? Is the manager up to the task? With the players already spoiled by lucrative salaries and expensive gifts from the owner, will they be motivated in the winter months to grind out wins? Perhaps I'm being overly conservative, as based on talent City can now compete with anyone, and their financial muscle is second to none (however, this does not mean everyone wants to play for them...). They seem to have recruited the right type of player... and I still don't see it happening. How strong is their backroom staff? Their trainers? How will high salary players cope with being rotated? Too many questions, and perhaps a slight personal loathing that prevent me from putting them higher.
Other thoughts- Tottenham have a good manager and a good squad this year, but it is Spurs. Somehow always in disarray. If they maintain a year of stability, they can match the preceeding teams on their best day. Aston Villa will be in decline through no real fault of their own, save losing two key players and not adequately replacing them. Too much competition, even for a skilled manager. Fulham will drop several places due to the improvement of other teams while they are stagnant. But it is nice not to be worried about relegation for the first time since I began following the league. There are too many candidates to easily choose who will go down, though I think Sunderland can rest easy this year as they have appointed a good manager who has bought several players. Will Burnley attain the lowest point total in history? I don't think so because of team spirit and an uncomfortable ground for visitors, but certainly on talent they lag far behind.
I get to see United in Vietnam this Sunday, and Thailand the following Sunday, taking my countries I have watched United in total to 8, I believe.
So, the final prediction:
1. Chelsea
2. Arsenal
3. United
4. Liverpool
5. City
6. Spurs
7. Everton
8. Villa
9. West Ham
10. Fulham
11. Sunderland
12. Blackburn
13. Wolves
14. Wigan
15. Bolton
16. Birmingham
17. Portsmouth
18. Stoke
19. Hull
20. Burnley
United- United's midfield looks really shaky, as does the bench unless Michael Owen miraculously stays healthy all year. I don't see this happening, so unless there is some action in the still open transfer window, I think a few unnecessary points will be lost. Maybe a buy in the January window after some of this summer madness? The defense is still solid, although Van der Sar out for 2 months, at his age, is a real worry. I actually get the Manchester United channel here in Korea (apparently for the other 22 hours of the day this channel shows other programming, but I have never bothered to investigate this) and I am worried that some of my 4 am wake up calls will result in a sour mood at school, whereas except for one occasion this spring, I was tired but happy at work.
Chelsea- Looks the part of title winners/far into the champion's league. Everyone is saying the right things about the new manager, they beat some quality opposition in the preseason, and they have a favorable early schedule. Last season the Essien injury and Drogba sulking derailed the season; now that the players are a year older, are they any more adept at dealing a similar situation this year? Probably not. Did the captain's flirtation with Citeh affect the locker room? Is their goalkeeper one of the world's best, or is he a little past it?
Liverpool- Up until the sale of Alonso, mentioned as possible front runners. I don't see it. Liverpool possess arguably the two finest players in the Premiership, although one of them seems to have hamstrings that snap once a fortnight. Can they add another midfielder for depth after this sale? Can they continue their last minute goal luck from last season? Without question, this is the toughest team to place. First? Fifth? Bridesmaids again?
Arsenal- The team everybody thinks City will supplant in the top four? But why? A whole season of Arshavin, plus healthy Eduardo and Rosicky? As ever, thin in depth, but a strong strike force and seemingly a strong club spirit. I'm going out on a limb to say that they must be feeling a little "No one believes in us" at this point and feel like they have something to prove. I'm not sure if this season will finally break their trophy drought, but this team will be better than people expect, although a tough opening fixture could have the vultures circling very, very early.
City- Can they crack the top four? How many more players will they bring in before the transfer deadline? Is the manager up to the task? With the players already spoiled by lucrative salaries and expensive gifts from the owner, will they be motivated in the winter months to grind out wins? Perhaps I'm being overly conservative, as based on talent City can now compete with anyone, and their financial muscle is second to none (however, this does not mean everyone wants to play for them...). They seem to have recruited the right type of player... and I still don't see it happening. How strong is their backroom staff? Their trainers? How will high salary players cope with being rotated? Too many questions, and perhaps a slight personal loathing that prevent me from putting them higher.
Other thoughts- Tottenham have a good manager and a good squad this year, but it is Spurs. Somehow always in disarray. If they maintain a year of stability, they can match the preceeding teams on their best day. Aston Villa will be in decline through no real fault of their own, save losing two key players and not adequately replacing them. Too much competition, even for a skilled manager. Fulham will drop several places due to the improvement of other teams while they are stagnant. But it is nice not to be worried about relegation for the first time since I began following the league. There are too many candidates to easily choose who will go down, though I think Sunderland can rest easy this year as they have appointed a good manager who has bought several players. Will Burnley attain the lowest point total in history? I don't think so because of team spirit and an uncomfortable ground for visitors, but certainly on talent they lag far behind.
I get to see United in Vietnam this Sunday, and Thailand the following Sunday, taking my countries I have watched United in total to 8, I believe.
So, the final prediction:
1. Chelsea
2. Arsenal
3. United
4. Liverpool
5. City
6. Spurs
7. Everton
8. Villa
9. West Ham
10. Fulham
11. Sunderland
12. Blackburn
13. Wolves
14. Wigan
15. Bolton
16. Birmingham
17. Portsmouth
18. Stoke
19. Hull
20. Burnley
Monday, August 3, 2009
on live music
I'm back blogging with a vengeance this week, before heading off on my 'Nam and Thailand adventure. (And if you don't think my first blog after the holiday will begin, "back when I was in 'Nam...", you don't know me that well.) I have struggled with entries due to a severe case of the summer doldrums. I should explain- technically, I am on summer vacation now. But I go to work every morning, just like during the school year. I actually teach more during summer vacation than during most school days during the normal school year. All native teachers must endure 3 weeks of "camp", which for me is 2 100 minute lessons every day, from 8:20-12:00. It sounds like a dream perhaps- a four hour working day, with a free lunch provided, and mostly motivated students who actually chose (or their parents chose) to attend this class in the summer. But of course the ease of the working day seeps into other aspects of life. I stay up too late, often doing very little productive, and generally sleep the afternoon away to escape the heat, and in more than a few cases, boredom. And rather than taking the time to prepare better, more healthy meals, the heat/malaise results in my eating copious amounts of fake cheese and lots of baked potatos (with fake cheese). So when I should be healthy, active, and intellectually adventurous I am instead stuffing myself with western junk food reading every football (that's soccer people) blog on the planet. But no more! I have been reading Gladwell's Outsiders, which is an analysis of the factors that lead to people being extraordinarily successful, and although it does not measure up to his previous works, reading about such success can make someone struggling to motivate himself to do anything feel like a cretin. My actual "holiday"- as in days I am not working, is a measly 7 working days before the school year resumes in the mid-August heat.
But this blog is supposed to be about music! I was recently questioning whether music had supplanted literature as the crucial component in my leisure time and also in my identity. Due to a dearth of books in my house, as well as the ubiquitous I-Pod and a reliance on music to enliven my (occasionally) lonely flat, I think music is more "me" than literature for the first time. Certainly I actively search out new music much more than new writing in Korea; where I once ranged across all subjects for reading material, my reading is much shorter and more limited in scope- NY Times Op-Ed, Guardian sportblog, BBC transfer gossip...
I recently saw Oasis in concert, 10 years or so too late. It was a good concert, at an outdoor music festival. The location was a beautiful, if strikingly meager in altitude, ski resort. I arrived for just one day of the festival, meeting friends who had been there for "the horror" of the previous night. There were the worst sorts of foreigners on display; I'm no amateur psychologist, but someone studying herd mentality and expat communities could have a field day with large crowds of expats in Korea. Overwhelmingly young and naive, so I try not to judge too harshly, but it was like the morning after a frat party. When you are 19 and trapped in a community of like minded people this is acceptable; when you are 23-27 and abroad you look like a right... I should mention I had plenty of time to consider this as my friends left before Oasis, leaving me at a huge communal event on my own. This is actually the third time I have attended a concert on my own- the first time, I was young and hated the experience, the second time was Arcade Fire and there is a slight chance Megan Fox could have been standing next to me and I would not have noticed I was so excited (no... if Megan Fox was next to me I definitely would have noticed. So let's downgrade to, oh, I don't know, Sienna Miller). But it seemed to me that being alone in a large crowd you somewhat remove yourself from the group, that the experience gains something in intimacy, or at least in internalization. I think everyone should have be alone with their thoughts and 90 minutes of good music at some point; certainly it might have proved self relevatory for more than a few of the revellers still hiding in their festival herd.
The festival was expensive by Korean standards but on a whole worthwhile. I had an encounter with live music this past weekend that is perhaps worth holding up for comparison. I ventured to the oldest jazz club in Seoul, with Jenny this time. It was everything the festival was not- intimate, urban, shared, Korean, and cheap- I loved it. No doubt the club is one of the most positive legacies of the American presence in Korea- a smoky, slightly run down place that you would find in a basement in many sophisticated, global cities (points for Seoul! Yay!) Here it was on the third floor of a completely unremarkable building looking through floor to ceiling windows on an even more unremarkable building (OK SHOPPING in large neon) and the surprisingly dim lights of Seoul beyond. Apart from a bright Christian cross in the far left in my field of vision, Seoul was dark on a Saturday night. But inside it was cramped and lively, standing room only to a band playing good jazz as only Koreans could- perfectly rehearsed and smoothly orchestrated. Musically very proficient, but lacking in imagination and charisma. (At one point I internally compared the bassist to a librarian... perhaps it is so with bassists the world over). The only other foreigners had departed for greener pastures by about 8:30, so once again I felt a little outside of the whole experience. It was wonderful.
I've been putting off this blog because, well, I don't really have any conclusions to draw from these experiences. I should mention that my mind always wanders freely when I listen to music, when I mention feeling outside the experience, it is not a complaint, but rather an illustration of how I respond to most music- to free myself from restraints and explore possibilities. Perhaps the question I have been trying to ask is whether live music is somehow more meaningful when coupled with the experience of being abroad, of adding cultural immersion to musical immersion... Certainly my experience with Oasis was diluted by my reconciling my pleasure at the festival with the antics of more than a few yanks...
But this blog is supposed to be about music! I was recently questioning whether music had supplanted literature as the crucial component in my leisure time and also in my identity. Due to a dearth of books in my house, as well as the ubiquitous I-Pod and a reliance on music to enliven my (occasionally) lonely flat, I think music is more "me" than literature for the first time. Certainly I actively search out new music much more than new writing in Korea; where I once ranged across all subjects for reading material, my reading is much shorter and more limited in scope- NY Times Op-Ed, Guardian sportblog, BBC transfer gossip...
I recently saw Oasis in concert, 10 years or so too late. It was a good concert, at an outdoor music festival. The location was a beautiful, if strikingly meager in altitude, ski resort. I arrived for just one day of the festival, meeting friends who had been there for "the horror" of the previous night. There were the worst sorts of foreigners on display; I'm no amateur psychologist, but someone studying herd mentality and expat communities could have a field day with large crowds of expats in Korea. Overwhelmingly young and naive, so I try not to judge too harshly, but it was like the morning after a frat party. When you are 19 and trapped in a community of like minded people this is acceptable; when you are 23-27 and abroad you look like a right... I should mention I had plenty of time to consider this as my friends left before Oasis, leaving me at a huge communal event on my own. This is actually the third time I have attended a concert on my own- the first time, I was young and hated the experience, the second time was Arcade Fire and there is a slight chance Megan Fox could have been standing next to me and I would not have noticed I was so excited (no... if Megan Fox was next to me I definitely would have noticed. So let's downgrade to, oh, I don't know, Sienna Miller). But it seemed to me that being alone in a large crowd you somewhat remove yourself from the group, that the experience gains something in intimacy, or at least in internalization. I think everyone should have be alone with their thoughts and 90 minutes of good music at some point; certainly it might have proved self relevatory for more than a few of the revellers still hiding in their festival herd.
The festival was expensive by Korean standards but on a whole worthwhile. I had an encounter with live music this past weekend that is perhaps worth holding up for comparison. I ventured to the oldest jazz club in Seoul, with Jenny this time. It was everything the festival was not- intimate, urban, shared, Korean, and cheap- I loved it. No doubt the club is one of the most positive legacies of the American presence in Korea- a smoky, slightly run down place that you would find in a basement in many sophisticated, global cities (points for Seoul! Yay!) Here it was on the third floor of a completely unremarkable building looking through floor to ceiling windows on an even more unremarkable building (OK SHOPPING in large neon) and the surprisingly dim lights of Seoul beyond. Apart from a bright Christian cross in the far left in my field of vision, Seoul was dark on a Saturday night. But inside it was cramped and lively, standing room only to a band playing good jazz as only Koreans could- perfectly rehearsed and smoothly orchestrated. Musically very proficient, but lacking in imagination and charisma. (At one point I internally compared the bassist to a librarian... perhaps it is so with bassists the world over). The only other foreigners had departed for greener pastures by about 8:30, so once again I felt a little outside of the whole experience. It was wonderful.
I've been putting off this blog because, well, I don't really have any conclusions to draw from these experiences. I should mention that my mind always wanders freely when I listen to music, when I mention feeling outside the experience, it is not a complaint, but rather an illustration of how I respond to most music- to free myself from restraints and explore possibilities. Perhaps the question I have been trying to ask is whether live music is somehow more meaningful when coupled with the experience of being abroad, of adding cultural immersion to musical immersion... Certainly my experience with Oasis was diluted by my reconciling my pleasure at the festival with the antics of more than a few yanks...
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