Dec. 9th, 2007

So all, as some may have heard. I nearly flew back to the states this morning. Why you ask? Well, frankly I wonder if I didn't make a huge mistake coming to Korea. Is it a good place for a guy like myself? That remains to seen. But, at this stage in the sojourn, it clearly feels like a plate full of regret, and I'm not all that hungry. Perhaps it's the way the foreigners tend to be disrespectful of Korean women on a level as grotesque as the cab driver laughing about the freezing dogs in the back of a pickup truck on the way to the market for human consumption (joking, ummm good -insert hand rubbing tummy motion), or perhaps it was just my Friday night in Itaewon, which makes Vegas look civilized. Maybe it's just not having a cell phone or internet, and working 10-12 hours a day. My life in Korea is the video clip next the word manic on dictionary.com. Always, in the same weekend I feel elated at a new friend or really cool place in Seoul, or learning a new phrase and being understood by a Korean. Yet, there are always moments of disgust, shame, and loneliness. Often in the same night I feel excited, and jovial, only to get so pissed off that I wanna get arrested and deported.

Example: (Last night)

7pm - get a call on home phone from Jon (best friend in Korea, we met my first weekend here, played music together and explored Seoul, cool, nice guy).
"Hey Dom, sorry I'm gonna be a little late, wanna go see this horrible oil spill about two hours tomorrow after we jam tonight?"
"What the hell, sounds pretty shitty, I'll go, wanna meet at Samsung Plaza soon?"
"Sure"
"When can you make it?"
"9:15 sound cool?"
"Sure, see you then, in front of the Burberry store, exit #6"

I wait at the Burberry store for and hour and ten minutes, no Jon. Neither of us have cell-phones cause we need our Alien Registration Card to get them. I see some coworkers going a place called Incheon 3 buildings away. After Jon doesn't show, I head up there. I'm really pissed-off, having an I-fucking-hate-Korea moment.
5 or so pitchers, a Korean girl I work with telling me several times I'm really attractive, and "you have good style", my boss is being really cool, she introduces me to a friend of hers preceding the introduction with a sly, "She's single, she likes rock too". We all head to Nori-bang (Karaoke rooms), I sing Wonderwall with said bosses friend, and she asks me if I wanna go to another place with her, boss and cool Korean guy who I'll leave unnamed, fuck it I'm gonna leave them all unnamed. I'm feeling super happy, and not nearly as drunk as everyone else.

At the next bar, I talk to bosses friend and cool Korean guy about my reservations about being in Korea, about films a bit, about what we all studied, I feel like I can be understood. Korean coworker girl tries to get me to dance several times, overtly flirts. I'm feeling content. Boss is telling me I'm doing a good job, very professional etc. I learn about 5 Korean phrases that I know I'll forget the next day. Feeling great.

Same bar, some other coworkers show up. One male coworkers friend is super wasted and all over complimenting Korean coworker, at one point she says (jokingly as not to be dramatic, but kinda serious) "help me" to other Korean girls. I ask cool Korean guy if it's me or is the guy being a completely disrespectful asshole. He concurs. We all get told to leave bar cause it's closing. Several hang around, touchy-feely guy continues his asshole behavior. I begin to tell him to chill the fuck out, he's being rude. Doesn't stop. Near taxi stand. I say he's being and asshole. Some random Korean guys tell me "You're handsome" I respond thank you, but guys in the U.S. don't usually say that to other guys. One Korean guy explains to the other two. "oh, I get it", "it's cool now worries" We chat a bit, They say "we'll help" and point to touchy-feely guy. My cowerker, (touchy-feely guys friend) overhears me saying touchy-feely guy is being an asshole, tries to fight me, I tell him being a friend of his doesn't grant carte-blanche to be disrespectful. Touchy-feely guy confronts me, I offer casually to fight if he'd like, refuse to apologize. Korean coworker girl tries to get me in a cab. I say I'm not that drunk, and I'll go when and where I want. Joe (cool quite musician guy I work with) concurs, "he's really not drunk like they are" (referring to Canadian coworker and touchy-feely friend). I tell Canadian coworker (who I really liked before this event), to fuck right off, and Joe and I take a cab back to the block that we both live on (Cool Korean guys say good by and help us with cab-driver negotiations (at first cabby tells us "No, I go only Seoul") Korean guys get him to take us. "Kahmsahamnida(thank you)" (insert genuine bows) "Annyunggaseyo (bye)". At this point I'm having a major fuck-Korea moment. I don't want o be a part of this shit show. I should have never came to this forsaken country. I go to bed at 4:30ish after talking to friends back home really upset and planning to book a flight in the morning.

Korea:

good- Korean people aged 4-36-ish, food, language, easy to make friends.

bad- 90% of foreigners make me sick (they're creepy to the max, rude, disrespectful), can't even order food half the time, older generation looks at me with contempt on a regular basis, work too hard, loneliness.

Until next time