I shot this video of the baseball game last week. I tried to get them singing. Enjoy.

Lotte Giants from Scott Smith on Vimeo.

Had more running around for my school. I wish they would just listen to me instead assuming that I am a clueless foreigner (like they did when I had to get checked for swine flu). I went to the Busan National University Hospital to be greeted with total chaos when I entered. People everywhere and adjumma (old women) yelling for all sorts of reasons (I am guessing that they were for different reasons, but who knows). It reminded me of my trip 10 years earlier to a hospital in Belize. I had an ear-ache and was prescribed goat seaman as my cure (well, we at the camp came to a group consensus that it was from a goat).

I was given my own mute detail to walk me all over the hospital for my "physical", The nice thing was that I got to skip the lines that dozens of Koreans were noisily waiting in. Sometimes the foreigner tax here is a good thing. I did take a 20 second yearing test then a man looked in my ear canals for a brief moment before declaring that I could hear. After that I went clear across the hospital to another office where I stood at the door for the doctor to give me a distant (she was across the room) once over before signing and stamping her ok. Finally I had to walk to another part of the hospital for my blood and pee check. Unfortunately for me it appears my pee samples may appear on national tv as there was a film crew taping my every movement once I reached that part of the hospital. I am terrified that it will be used as stock footage on how foreigners all have mad swine flu or some such thing.

Before I made it to the hospital I had a few hours to kill since my school decided to let me sit at school for a long time before telling me I just missed the morning time slot for the health check. I made my way to my future apartment to check out the neighborhood. There is a great eel restaurant nearby which I went to for my farewell meal my last time here. Also, there is a great trail which winds around the coast of the island. There appear to be tent restaurants on the rocky beaches that dot the trail, lots of fresh seafood to be had! The photo of the fisherman at the top of the post was seen along the path.

Below are a couple of women cooking at a couple of the dozen or so outdoor stalls in Nampo-dong, the shopping area near my island. I need to try them out sometime as well.

A sort of homecoming

I left Seoul early Saturday morning after a rough Friday night.

Some of the teachers and I went out for our final night to a typical western style bar. The longer we stayed the more foreigners showed up and the louder everything became. Some were nice, some were indifferent and one was an asshole. He decided to join a conversation he wasn't invited to and was immeadiately identified as an ass. He got confrontational about something or other than was convinced to walk away.

After leaving the bar I noticed that he was following us (he had a big ugly red Houston Astros hat on) and we turned down a few alleys to see what he would do. He zigged and zagged along with us till finally the Irish lass stopped to confront him. He quickly took off his hat and walked by with his head down. He didn't do Canadians any favors that night.

Later on we had a run-in with a drunk Korean man, that was a hoot.

Now I am in Busan and on the first night back took in a baseball game. It was the Lotte Giants, who have the best fans. Unfortunately since a former president just died the cheerleader wasn't allowed to perform, so it wasn't as loud as it could have been.

being a good fan isn't nice when one can't see the field

I start work next week if my school can ever get the visa thing sorted. Went in to visit and one of the first things the principal said was that he wanted me to get tested for swine flu. Some Koreans seem to think it is just laying in wait in foreigner blood, ready to strike down hapless Koreans. Even after explaining that I had been in Korea for over a month he insisted. I have to get a medical check anyway, so now at least I can get the school to pay for it!

More baseball

My hometown team came to Seoul this weekend so I went with a friend and we sat in the Lotte Giants section. The fans took up half of the stadium which is not bad for a team that is located on the other side of the country.

Singing for Garcia, Lotte's Mexican player

It is quite interesting that 90% of the fans songs are based on one tune. Unfortunately I didn't get any of it on video. But here is the tune they use (seriously).

Here is a video I made a couple years ago at Lotte stadium of more restrained singing.

Watch out for that sun!

I can hate Mexico one day, but cheer one of their people on the next day.

It was in the 90 degree range.

After that I met up with the teachers at camp for some meat and beer.

A student during speed skating class at my camp

At the end of the night I went to a chicken shop to get something to much on and met an Iranian and a Turk. We sat down for an hour and had a good chat over beers and soju. (soory, no pictures of that)

camp

Camp is going well. Only 3 more days of actual teaching, then 2 days of tests, then 2 days of performances. My kids are doing the Wizard of Oz and Snow White. Exciting stuff.

The biggest stress in my life is the battle between the woman who runs the closet co-op where we are all living. Our little rooms get really hot but she doesn't want us to turn on the a/c. apparently the Koreans are getting sick because it is too cold. Why she doesn't tell them to just close their vent, I have no idea.

my room

Went to a baseball game last Tuesday. The team we were supposed to support sucked, so I and a friend got drunk and later got wet when it started to rain. I will go to another game this Saturday, but at least I will be watching a team I care about. Go Lotte!

real life ball girls

an LG Twins (yes, the tv company) dancer

This Sunday was action packed. I went to the heart of Seoul's new tourist destination only to find it was hot and crowded with nearly zero shade. There was some group giving out free bottled water, t least I hope it was free since I took a few. After that, with sweat dripping out of places that sweat normally doesn't drip out of, I made my way to a palace whose name escapes me.

this bike was in the "folk museum" showing 1950s Korea, but you can still see them all around the country