sorry for the long wait. I just put a whole bunch of new photos on flickr. They go back over a month to the first full moon of the year bonfire, include my Thailand trip, and one or two shots from Ulsan and the maeshil blossom festival.
A brief update of my activities: Last weekend I went to Seoul. Hung out at some funky little Korean bars on Saturday. Played some sloppy pickup on a rain softened field on Sunday. Its a good way to spend a weekend.
Look forward to the half year summary and reflections later this week.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Marathon
Ran a marathon yesterday.
Here is some free advice - even if you think you are in good shape, you should still plan ahead and train a little to run a marathon. I found out about this one just a few days ago, and the start / finish point was at a park less than a half mile from my home, so I figured "What the heck," although I haven't had a run longer than 10km in over a year.
It was a pretty big event with about 10,000 runners (including 1/2 course, 5k, and 10k runs) from all over Korea (but I didn't see any other foreigners), celebrating the first set of blossoms (maeshil fruit, or Chinese plum) on our famously scenic springtime road. (do I overuse parenthetical notes?)
I snuck into the starting group without registering, but no one cared about my lack of number bib. I told myself to just take it easy and see how many 8:00 miles I could crank out before my body gave up. One nice feature of this marathon were groups of pace setters with helium balloons tied to their hats announcing the pace they were running. I stayed with the 3:40 group until about the half way point, then started to slacken off the pace. I made the 3/4 mark just ahead of the 4 hour group, but by now I was starting to feel really fatigued. Actually I still felt I had some energy, and wasn't cramped, but my joints especially knees, were aching. I walked a little way. I guess this is a classic mistake that just tightens up your muscles and makes it harder to run again. So I ended up walking most of the last 6 km. Also I stopped at the associated street fair which was 3k from the finish to take a break and chat with some locals.
Met some interesting people along the way. Including a couple of university professors from Seoul who have ran almost 1 marathon every week for the last year. And the guy who stopped at the 30km checkpoint to self administer some acupuncture.
Like I said earlier, this whole Korea experiment is partly about testing myself, so it is fitting to throw in a physical challenege. I feel satisfied with how well I did, and also suitably humbled at not being able to run it out. I was a little concerned about some lingering blisters from ultimate that hadn't quite healed, but I lubed my feet up with a tub of Vaseline and they were no problem; I did get some chaffing on the inner thighs where my lubrication was less conscientious - or maybe it is just the delayed prize of my Thailand adventures. Today I feel really sore in the thighs, and my left knee feels swollen - strange because the right knee felt worse when I was running. I can walk around, but not with the smooth confident stride which is my trademark.
Here is some free advice - even if you think you are in good shape, you should still plan ahead and train a little to run a marathon. I found out about this one just a few days ago, and the start / finish point was at a park less than a half mile from my home, so I figured "What the heck," although I haven't had a run longer than 10km in over a year.
It was a pretty big event with about 10,000 runners (including 1/2 course, 5k, and 10k runs) from all over Korea (but I didn't see any other foreigners), celebrating the first set of blossoms (maeshil fruit, or Chinese plum) on our famously scenic springtime road. (do I overuse parenthetical notes?)
I snuck into the starting group without registering, but no one cared about my lack of number bib. I told myself to just take it easy and see how many 8:00 miles I could crank out before my body gave up. One nice feature of this marathon were groups of pace setters with helium balloons tied to their hats announcing the pace they were running. I stayed with the 3:40 group until about the half way point, then started to slacken off the pace. I made the 3/4 mark just ahead of the 4 hour group, but by now I was starting to feel really fatigued. Actually I still felt I had some energy, and wasn't cramped, but my joints especially knees, were aching. I walked a little way. I guess this is a classic mistake that just tightens up your muscles and makes it harder to run again. So I ended up walking most of the last 6 km. Also I stopped at the associated street fair which was 3k from the finish to take a break and chat with some locals.
Met some interesting people along the way. Including a couple of university professors from Seoul who have ran almost 1 marathon every week for the last year. And the guy who stopped at the 30km checkpoint to self administer some acupuncture.
Like I said earlier, this whole Korea experiment is partly about testing myself, so it is fitting to throw in a physical challenege. I feel satisfied with how well I did, and also suitably humbled at not being able to run it out. I was a little concerned about some lingering blisters from ultimate that hadn't quite healed, but I lubed my feet up with a tub of Vaseline and they were no problem; I did get some chaffing on the inner thighs where my lubrication was less conscientious - or maybe it is just the delayed prize of my Thailand adventures. Today I feel really sore in the thighs, and my left knee feels swollen - strange because the right knee felt worse when I was running. I can walk around, but not with the smooth confident stride which is my trademark.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Ulsan Frisbee tournament
My second tournament in as many weeks. I feel so lucky. Although the blisters on my heels were still raw from Thailand I felt I had to make the 4 hour bus trip to Ulsan. It was worth the trip.
It was a hat tournament with a unique structure. Saturday was a one day 5 on 5 tourney on turf fields. games were short and had a real time cap. I mean the game would end mid point when the clock hit zeros. Ties permitted in pool play, so there were some exciting last second hucks. Then Sunday was the same format, but on the beach. Your team got points depending on where you placed, but the saturday party also factored quantitatively into the overall championship with disc of beer races against the clock and flip cup tourney on the docket. My team didn't win, but I somehow walked away with touranment MVP. It was probably because I played in ski goggles to keep the sand out of my eyes.
I had a great time getting to know the members of the Korean ultimate community a little better. And I also secured my spot on a team for Korea's premiere tournament at Jeju in late April. I might not get any more frisbee until that point so I'll be looking forward to it. Also, welcome to Korea, Hightower, and I hope you'll be joining my team.
It was a hat tournament with a unique structure. Saturday was a one day 5 on 5 tourney on turf fields. games were short and had a real time cap. I mean the game would end mid point when the clock hit zeros. Ties permitted in pool play, so there were some exciting last second hucks. Then Sunday was the same format, but on the beach. Your team got points depending on where you placed, but the saturday party also factored quantitatively into the overall championship with disc of beer races against the clock and flip cup tourney on the docket. My team didn't win, but I somehow walked away with touranment MVP. It was probably because I played in ski goggles to keep the sand out of my eyes.
I had a great time getting to know the members of the Korean ultimate community a little better. And I also secured my spot on a team for Korea's premiere tournament at Jeju in late April. I might not get any more frisbee until that point so I'll be looking forward to it. Also, welcome to Korea, Hightower, and I hope you'll be joining my team.
The positive aspects of being a tourist in Thailand
In list form
1. Food. Outstanding street food. I think it beats out even Mexico City. You can get cold fresh fruit (pineapple, watermelon, guava, coconut, etc) from little carts scattered everywhere. Or some tasty skewers. Or a proper meal - noodle soups, or pad thai, or rice bowls etc. If you love spicy thai food you are set for meals for $2 a day just walking around. If you want a nicer ambiance there are a ton of restaurants also. They are also dirt cheap ($5 for an entree and a beer or two) and delicious. The spicy food really makes you feel better about the heat.
Adding to my bizzare food checklist, I had some grilled duck bill (it was tasty, but hard to find the meat around the bill), and some fried bag of mixed bugs (grasshoppers, crickets, silkworms, only one cockroach, but alas my friend called dibs on that. They just tasted like heavily fried snack crisps, nothing really buggy about it.)
2. Public transportation is cheap and easy. Although the city is giant, there is a backbone of a couple elevated rail lines, and a river/canal system with ferries and water taxis is a pleasant and unique way to see some more of the city. You can get pretty close to any place a tourist might like to go on these systems. Or you can take a taxi (but make sure you get one with a meter), or a tuk-tuk, basically a rickshaw with a moped engine, to take you door to door.
3. Do you like to visit Buddhist temples? There are so many all over the city. The concentration in the heart of the old city contains some really impressive examples. Giant ornate buildings, and 50 ft golden buddhas. Add in the various royal parks and palaces and you can easily spend a day or two just checking out these kind of cultural sites.
4. Thai Massage. I'd never had a professional massage before, but the Thai massage is famous, and I was quite sore and tired after a weekend of disc sports. At $7 an hour there is no excuse not to try it, and if you do, you will not be disappointed. A little old country woman just brutalized every muscle in my body into calm submission. You walk in hobbling and walk out with a smooth stride and a smile on your face. My only fear is that it may be addictively relaxing.
5. Nightlife. If you are in the right part of town it is a great relaxed and friendly place for an international travel to relax, have a few beers (so much better than Korean beer), and trade some stories.
6. Shopping. Its not really my bag, but if you like to walk around bustling baazars full of treats, trinkets, treasures, and trousers, there is no shortage over here. You can hunt some bargains for sure. There are some truly massive indoors malls as well as the more traditional flea market style setups.
I guess there is a lot more in the city that I didn't get to, plus a lot of country side which I would probably enjoy as much if not more. If I stay in Asia long enough I'm sure I'll go back someday.
1. Food. Outstanding street food. I think it beats out even Mexico City. You can get cold fresh fruit (pineapple, watermelon, guava, coconut, etc) from little carts scattered everywhere. Or some tasty skewers. Or a proper meal - noodle soups, or pad thai, or rice bowls etc. If you love spicy thai food you are set for meals for $2 a day just walking around. If you want a nicer ambiance there are a ton of restaurants also. They are also dirt cheap ($5 for an entree and a beer or two) and delicious. The spicy food really makes you feel better about the heat.
Adding to my bizzare food checklist, I had some grilled duck bill (it was tasty, but hard to find the meat around the bill), and some fried bag of mixed bugs (grasshoppers, crickets, silkworms, only one cockroach, but alas my friend called dibs on that. They just tasted like heavily fried snack crisps, nothing really buggy about it.)
2. Public transportation is cheap and easy. Although the city is giant, there is a backbone of a couple elevated rail lines, and a river/canal system with ferries and water taxis is a pleasant and unique way to see some more of the city. You can get pretty close to any place a tourist might like to go on these systems. Or you can take a taxi (but make sure you get one with a meter), or a tuk-tuk, basically a rickshaw with a moped engine, to take you door to door.
3. Do you like to visit Buddhist temples? There are so many all over the city. The concentration in the heart of the old city contains some really impressive examples. Giant ornate buildings, and 50 ft golden buddhas. Add in the various royal parks and palaces and you can easily spend a day or two just checking out these kind of cultural sites.
4. Thai Massage. I'd never had a professional massage before, but the Thai massage is famous, and I was quite sore and tired after a weekend of disc sports. At $7 an hour there is no excuse not to try it, and if you do, you will not be disappointed. A little old country woman just brutalized every muscle in my body into calm submission. You walk in hobbling and walk out with a smooth stride and a smile on your face. My only fear is that it may be addictively relaxing.
5. Nightlife. If you are in the right part of town it is a great relaxed and friendly place for an international travel to relax, have a few beers (so much better than Korean beer), and trade some stories.
6. Shopping. Its not really my bag, but if you like to walk around bustling baazars full of treats, trinkets, treasures, and trousers, there is no shortage over here. You can hunt some bargains for sure. There are some truly massive indoors malls as well as the more traditional flea market style setups.
I guess there is a lot more in the city that I didn't get to, plus a lot of country side which I would probably enjoy as much if not more. If I stay in Asia long enough I'm sure I'll go back someday.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
February in Korea
After coming back from Japan I only had a couple weeks in Hadong before my trip to Thailand (watch out for posts about that to come out tonight, or tomorrow), but here is a brief synopsis of the haps from the past month over here.
Work wise, I just had one week of work. The system is a little odd over here. The students have exams a week before Christmas, then the last week of school before break is basically goof-off time. From Christmas to mid Feb is a break, although many students attend 'winter camp'. Then there is one isolated final week of the school year in the middle of Feb. The students don't want to be in school, and it shows. Although the classes that I have a better rapport with are only more energetic and willing to converse. Aside from the classes it is a time to celebrate, so I got treated to some banquets from both schools; good food, good times, maybe too much soju...
Outside of school I met a new group of friends. On a whim I started talking to the girl at the counter of a local sandwich shop (it turns out she is the owner as well). Her and her friends end up being an especially cool group. Especially I give them props for being the first group that actively engages me in Korean language at an appropriate level for me. Is this a good reason to choose one's friends: absolutely! finding people here with the human concern, patience, and intelligence required to empathize with and adjust to language learners plight is a rare treat, but I think I would like these guys if I found the same personalities in a bunch of Americans anyway.
Well, looking forward to the long stretch of school. No more vacations for the next 4 months .. I hope I can keep coming up with ideas for the next class
Work wise, I just had one week of work. The system is a little odd over here. The students have exams a week before Christmas, then the last week of school before break is basically goof-off time. From Christmas to mid Feb is a break, although many students attend 'winter camp'. Then there is one isolated final week of the school year in the middle of Feb. The students don't want to be in school, and it shows. Although the classes that I have a better rapport with are only more energetic and willing to converse. Aside from the classes it is a time to celebrate, so I got treated to some banquets from both schools; good food, good times, maybe too much soju...
Outside of school I met a new group of friends. On a whim I started talking to the girl at the counter of a local sandwich shop (it turns out she is the owner as well). Her and her friends end up being an especially cool group. Especially I give them props for being the first group that actively engages me in Korean language at an appropriate level for me. Is this a good reason to choose one's friends: absolutely! finding people here with the human concern, patience, and intelligence required to empathize with and adjust to language learners plight is a rare treat, but I think I would like these guys if I found the same personalities in a bunch of Americans anyway.
Well, looking forward to the long stretch of school. No more vacations for the next 4 months .. I hope I can keep coming up with ideas for the next class
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Ultimate in Bangkok
The main reason from the timing of this trip, as well as choice of Bangkok as destination was the Bangkok Hat ultimate frisbee tournament (for the non-frisbee players out there, a hat tournament is one where players sign up as individuals and the tournament directors select balanced teams. So you are playing with mostly new teammates, get to make a lot of new friends, and have a tournament with a lot of parity.)
It is one of the premiere tournaments in Asia, drawing some of the best ex-pat, as well as native players from all over. I met people living in Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, as well as Thailand, and some extra-continental travelers including Australia, USA, and the winner of the longest distance traveled award - someone who came from his station in Antarctica. Proving again that it's a small world, I also happened to meet Moose from the UCLA ultimate community; it was quite nice to unexpectedly run into a good friend from my previous life.
The tourney itself was a lot of fun. Saturday morning I had a lot of adjusting to do. I hadn't thrown a disc in four months so I had a lot of rust to shake off in addition to adjusting to the climate. It was a sunny 35C = 95F and humid the whole week I was there. Over the course of the weekend I probably threw away a pass per game due to sweat slippage, and I don't think I ever played 3 points in a row. But damn, sometimes I can forget how much I love this game in between the now rare chances I get to play it. And the level was high, on the average team of 16 there was maybe one or two inexperienced players with better disc skills and knowledge of the game, albeit less athleticism compared to the bulk of my experience at the college level.
My own team fared decently. We ended up losing by a point in the semi-finals to the eventual champs. I got the ego boost of being told by that teams captain, and top player, that I put the toughest defense on him of anyone he faced in the tournament .. I believe the word "glove" was uttered.
So it was a couple good days running around in the sun, and a couple fun nights partying with the SEAsian ultimate community. I grabbed a couple pictures from the events and will put them up on the flickr sometime soon.
It is one of the premiere tournaments in Asia, drawing some of the best ex-pat, as well as native players from all over. I met people living in Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, as well as Thailand, and some extra-continental travelers including Australia, USA, and the winner of the longest distance traveled award - someone who came from his station in Antarctica. Proving again that it's a small world, I also happened to meet Moose from the UCLA ultimate community; it was quite nice to unexpectedly run into a good friend from my previous life.
The tourney itself was a lot of fun. Saturday morning I had a lot of adjusting to do. I hadn't thrown a disc in four months so I had a lot of rust to shake off in addition to adjusting to the climate. It was a sunny 35C = 95F and humid the whole week I was there. Over the course of the weekend I probably threw away a pass per game due to sweat slippage, and I don't think I ever played 3 points in a row. But damn, sometimes I can forget how much I love this game in between the now rare chances I get to play it. And the level was high, on the average team of 16 there was maybe one or two inexperienced players with better disc skills and knowledge of the game, albeit less athleticism compared to the bulk of my experience at the college level.
My own team fared decently. We ended up losing by a point in the semi-finals to the eventual champs. I got the ego boost of being told by that teams captain, and top player, that I put the toughest defense on him of anyone he faced in the tournament .. I believe the word "glove" was uttered.
So it was a couple good days running around in the sun, and a couple fun nights partying with the SEAsian ultimate community. I grabbed a couple pictures from the events and will put them up on the flickr sometime soon.
Bangkok summary
One of the items that fell well above 'opportunity to teach English to Korean teenagers' on the list of reasons I decided to take this job was the chance to more easily travel around and see what it is like in a few places in Asia. So I was happy to take my second vacation in as many months to the fabled city of Bangkok.
The place definitely has a unique flavor from anywhere else I've been: I can understand the allure that has made Bangkok a spider's web for so many backpackers, as well as the reasons others say they would never want to go back. Of course, in less than a week I did not explore every facet of the city .. my impression is that I probably don't want to live there, but I would also like to return sometime and perhaps spend more time in the country side.
My specific impressions are still jumbled and discordant, so I will arrange them into separate blog entries to make my composition easier.
The place definitely has a unique flavor from anywhere else I've been: I can understand the allure that has made Bangkok a spider's web for so many backpackers, as well as the reasons others say they would never want to go back. Of course, in less than a week I did not explore every facet of the city .. my impression is that I probably don't want to live there, but I would also like to return sometime and perhaps spend more time in the country side.
My specific impressions are still jumbled and discordant, so I will arrange them into separate blog entries to make my composition easier.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)