RAVING/HAPPY SH!T MEGATHREAD

How does one find things that don't cost much money? or are free? I have found some things on FB but yeah! Like what kind of things do you guys find to do in your free time?

I am looking to fill up more of my time. Most of my friends have left Korea and it's pretty lonely. However, I don't hate being alone, but I do want to be more social. Korea has a way of making you feel more lonely just because of distance from family and friends.

In Korea, I find I am constantly tired and it's taking a toll on my mental health and I really don't want to go down that path!

Also, I want to take up Taekwondo and badminton, any tips on where I should look, ask etc.

I'm a moderator of Anyang Meet and Eat. It's a simple concept. Go out and have dinner and then go for some beers.

I love it so much, it's casual and a lot of my close friends are from this group. Obviously, I'm not telling you to join this group, I have no idea where you live, but search around FB for a group in your area.

If there isn't one, you could make one! The person who made my group moved here from England and didn't know anyone so she got proactive. This was 2.5 years ago and we have 300 members now. Dinners get anywhere from 5 people on a slower one to 30, that was our biggest one.

Usually the food my coworkers bring in to the office for everyone is meh at best, but today someone brought in some croquettes that were friggin' great. Normally I only have a small bite of whatever is on offer just to be sociable, but today I was actually disappointed that they were all gone before I had a chance to get seconds. I even asked where they got them, and understood their replies. I probably mucked up using the proper social registers or something, but it was still nice to have a successful interaction 100% in Korean.

Unrelated:

At the beginning of every class, I use a random number generator to choose students to call on, ask how they are, and one other simple question. In  one of my middle school 1st grade girls classes, there is one special needs student who I was specifically warned about at the beginning of the semester. I was told that she doesn't respond well at all to being asked questions or being put on the spot in any way. So far this year, she seemed pretty reserved and intimidated, so if her number came up randomly, I left well enough alone.

The past couple weeks, however, I thought I had noticed that she was starting to feel a bit more comfortable with English class and with the Big Scary Foreign Guy at the front of the room. In class today, her number came up again, so I figured I'd take a chance.

Me: Hello!
Her: Hello.
Me: How are you today?
Her: Hungry.
Me: Oh really? What do you want to eat?
Her: Samgyeopsal.

She nailed it. I was happy, but not as happy as her classmates and the Korean teacher. They were all surprised and super excited about the whole exchange. It's moments like those that make teaching worth it.

...and then I taught a middle school 2nd grade boys class, whose behavior is best left in the other waygook megathread. Oh well. Can't win 'em all.


Look at me, talking about two positive things in one post. Maybe the air is rotting my brain.

This is solid. Cheers.

Innit. Now where can we find this kind of stuff in Korea? Need a grotty basement somewhere in Seoul.

She nailed it. I was happy, but not as happy as her classmates and the Korean teacher. They were all surprised and super excited about the whole exchange. It's moments like those that make teaching worth it.

Nice, love little anecdotes like that. Good work reading her mood too! I use a random number generator to pick kiddies in my classes, but I haven't used it for a warmer like that before. I think I might have to steal your idea.

This is solid. Cheers.

Innit. Now where can we find this kind of stuff in Korea? Need a grotty basement somewhere in Seoul.

Korea is a dnb desert, unfortunately.  I remember seeing LTJ Bukem was playing a few years back in Seoul, but it was on a Wednesday.    Although, we could just hire a dirty basement somewhere and just you, me and Renma rinse out some tunes in an all-nighter.    Usually, when it comes to dnb, there is never anyone who shares my love for it, so I'm happy to have found two others.  love the classic stuff around the late nineties before it went a bit 'amen' and 'big beat' like.  cool thing with these mixes that you can hear the proper mixing and he doesn't make many mistakes, but you can catch a few bets out of place. 

love the classic stuff around the late nineties before it went a bit 'amen' and 'big beat' like. 

Have you read the Big Beat Manifesto?

Just passed a Habitat for Humanity booth on my bus ride home near Seoul Station. Saw an old construction worker filling out a donation form during his break while suits walked past.

LTJ Bukem

This was the first CD I bought with my paper route:
https://youtu.be/egd1cC5hH7s?t=15

LTJ Bukem

This was the first CD I bought with my paper route:
https://youtu.be/egd1cC5hH7s?t=15

Good stuff.  Bukem is up there with the pioneers along with Ed Rush, Optical etc.  Actually, Bukem is one of the two blokes I'd consider going gay for, the other being Thierry Henry. 

How does one find things that don't cost much money? or are free? I have found some things on FB but yeah! Like what kind of things do you guys find to do in your free time?

I am looking to fill up more of my time. Most of my friends have left Korea and it's pretty lonely. However, I don't hate being alone, but I do want to be more social. Korea has a way of making you feel more lonely just because of distance from family and friends.

In Korea, I find I am constantly tired and it's taking a toll on my mental health and I really don't want to go down that path!

Also, I want to take up Taekwondo and badminton, any tips on where I should look, ask etc.

The loneliness and stuff in Korea has been taking a toll on my mental health too.
I have started taking up badminton, I joined the school's badminton club. So I play with my students for a couple hours, once a week, during the school day.
And most lunchtimes while they play as well.

You can always ask your co-T about Taekwondo dojo's and badminton halls. They may know of one.

I'm planning to do 1 more year in Korea, then I'll be making the jump to Japan. (or I'll make the jump this year if I'm not renewed. My boss told me, he gave me a good review, and is planning stuff for semester 2 with me already; however, our education office had a record re-hiring at the start of the year, and is taking that excess out of my Augusts block, so something like, 20 - 30% of the August in take is going to be re-hired).

Also, I want to take up Taekwondo and badminton, any tips on where I should look, ask etc.

There's a thread about that here, and while it's specific to Daegu, there's a lot of decent suggestions for  around SOuth Korea.

Personally, when I started looking for a TKD place, I looked at the nearby universities: most mid to large unis have martial art clubs (the larger ones will have several different ones!), and they're guaranteed to be filled with adults. Nothing is quite as awkward as showing up for your first session and being the only one there over the age of 10... 

Also, I want to take up Taekwondo and badminton, any tips on where I should look, ask etc.

There's a thread about that here, and while it's specific to Daegu, there's a lot of decent suggestions for  around SOuth Korea.

Personally, when I started looking for a TKD place, I looked at the nearby universities: most mid to large unis have martial art clubs (the larger ones will have several different ones!), and they're guaranteed to be filled with adults. Nothing is quite as awkward as showing up for your first session and being the only one there over the age of 10... 

And having those 10 and under year olds beat you in martial arts. :p

And having those 10 and under year olds beat you in martial arts. :p

7 year-old black belts terrify me. Why are they allowed such horrific power when they haven't yet learned  how to take responsibility for their actions? 
  It's like giving a mentally handicapped person a lightsaber.

Woot!  No school as it is Memorial day tomorrow, then my school has a discretionary holiday on Friday, and then it's our school birthday on Monday.  Five day weekend.  Woot!   

Yeeeh boy, a four-dayer for me! Christmas has come early :)

Yeeeh boy, a four-dayer for me! Christmas has come early :)

 

four-day mental mashup rave time it is then, Datasapien!  I have an extra day to recover!

 

Woot!  No school as it is Memorial day tomorrow, then my school has a discretionary holiday on Friday, and then it's our school birthday on Monday.  Five day weekend.  Woot!   

Damn you lucked out.

I got 4 days, if I had known, I would have booked a holiday abroad somewhere! XD

Woot!  No school as it is Memorial day tomorrow, then my school has a discretionary holiday on Friday, and then it's our school birthday on Monday.  Five day weekend.  Woot!   

Damn you lucked out.

I got 4 days, if I had known, I would have booked a holiday abroad somewhere! XD

On my way to Beijing in a few hours!

Woot!  No school as it is Memorial day tomorrow, then my school has a discretionary holiday on Friday, and then it's our school birthday on Monday.  Five day weekend.  Woot!   

Damn you lucked out.

I got 4 days, if I had known, I would have booked a holiday abroad somewhere! XD

On my way to Beijing in a few hours!

And now I am officially jealous! Haha!

I only had 1 lesson today so I am pretty happy. Kiddies have gone home, I am hoping the rest of us can too!

Woot!  No school as it is Memorial day tomorrow, then my school has a discretionary holiday on Friday, and then it's our school birthday on Monday.  Five day weekend.  Woot!   

Damn you lucked out.

I got 4 days, if I had known, I would have booked a holiday abroad somewhere! XD

On my way to Beijing in a few hours!

Have fun Mr C    If I hadn't moved apartments a couple of weeks ago, and in the process of furnishing, I probably would have made a quick jaunt somewhere close for a few days.