With a Little Help From My Friends: Sokcho Existentialism (Part I)

A great man once told me that every great man must have the words of his favorite great men rattling in his mind when he writes. I wasn't quite sure what that meant until right now. I mean, I have always had Kant and Thompson and Bukowski running through my mind but I never figured out what that meant until just now. Hemingway once said "write drunk; edit sober." I always thought this a beautiful, simple, and inspiring quote about how writers should get drunk. While that probably has some truth to it, I have since realized that it says more about the human condition than it does about alcohol. It is talking about how humankind has two (or definitely more) sides to them and how one might be good for one thing while another is good for the other. Facing the task of writing about one of the most incredible weeks of my life has left me with a blank page and a blinking line that should be following words. I've promised many people that I would write about it soon but have been distracted by one thing or the other. It is now night time, I have had a few drinks (literally and metaphorically) and I think I am ready to take a crack at it.

Last week a select few other teacher friends and I decided to take a trip north to visit our friend Nina who lives near one of the better beaches in South Korea. After planning for a week or so we gathered a very diverse group of friends that we have met during our teacher orientation. The group was compiled of the following people...

Gypsy Jordan. Jordan is a real life hippie, even though she resents the word. She is from Halifax Canada. She has stories that seem so amazing and ridiculous that you would think they would have to be stolen from a Hunter S. Thompson or Jack Kerouac book. We call her 'Gypsy' and, other than thieving children, it is pretty accurate. She has a half sleeve of a unicorn, tattoos about alchemy all over her, and doesn't shave underneath her arms. I don't think there is any woman as beautiful (inside and out), intelligent, insightful or fun as this girl. I have never met a human who comes close to rivaling this girl's intellect and heart, and I sure as hell have never met one I would consider a true big sister.

Joe V. D. This guy, coming from UCI, right around the corner from where I went to college, is a damn enigma. You would look at this guy and think, "Hmmm. Pretty level dude. Pretty solid." But when you get to know him you will find out that he is one of the most intelligent and kind people you have ever met. He studied both Science and Creative Writing in school. He has written two novels, one of which is an amazing and incredibly original post apocalyptic novel that I will definitely be reading. This guy was the first to wake up and clean the whole apartment and has a heart the size of a boulder. I will be writing with this guy soon.

F*cking Joe C. This was my roommate for our teaching orientation for 10 days. He is from Colorado and for a few days we talked about sports and girls and the usual stuff. As I have grown to know him I feel like I have known him for longer and longer. Right now he and I, knowing each other for about a month or so, are going on five years or so. I say anything, being as crazy as I am, and this guy knows exactly what I am talking about. During this trip he has shown him self as one of the funniest and most genuine dudes that I know. Nothing out of his mouth doesn't make sense to me, and I really appreciate it.

Ariana El Paso. This girl is full of surprises. When I met her she seemed very much like a put together, critically thinking, business major. I mean that as a complement, really. One of those girls where, when you look at her, you think something like "yeah man, this girl is going to be someone's boss someday." While her impending success is still very likely, she has slowly unraveled her personality in a way that is very impressive to me. Through our conversations and my observations, she has dropped some impressive bombs. For example, she was actually a Creative Writing major, she is a huge fan of Bukowski (can't go wrong with that guy), and she is the queen of yoga. (not "OMG-itz-lyke-totz-hawt-yOgA-time-wit-ma bestyz- Yoga like, I-am-going-to-find-the-person-I-am-through-this-meditation- Yoga). I guess the best I can put it would be, I originally saw her as Helen of Troy, pretty, intelligent, yada yada, but now I see her as Madame De Pompadour; so much more.

Handsome Rob. I met this guy in my orientation class when I whispered to my buddy asking if any one played guitar/knew where to find one. When I asked this, Rob leaned over and sheepishly replied, "I do but I don't know where to find one." It probably sounds stupid, but the way that he said, "I play guitar." Impressed me, it didn't come off pretentious, but it didn't come off meek either, he owned it, and that was just great. Rob and I live in the same small town, (Jeungpyeong), and he and I have become really great friends. He has the same soul as Gypsy Jordan in many ways, and that is a massive complement. He was an EMT in Seattle for several years before coming here, he is a black belt in some sort of martial arts that I am sure would/could kill me, pretty damn proficient in Yoga (once again, not the Woo-Girl yoga), loves a good beer, and knows the universe in a way I am excited to learn. Also, he is handsome.

Aunt Nina. I don't remember ever being as envious of someone's experiences as much as I have Nina. She is by far one of the most traveled people that I have ever met. The things she has done and the people she has met has single-handedly set the standard for the life I want to live. On top of all of that, we are just so similar in so many ways. When I met her, I immediately though to myself, "Oh man, there's the party. She is the party." She is a walking party. Traditional partying not excluded. This girl will take a shot of anything with anyone anywhere, but I mean the broader sense of party as well. She is the Marianas Trench of fun. Seriously, you guys, I can't explain how much fun she is. On top of that, she is kind, loving, very down to earth, and has the amazing talent of relating to every person she meets.

Continued in Part II....

I've Got Friends.

I know it has been a while, but Korea is freaking non-stop work, party, food, and hanging out. Not much alone time yet. But here is a little thing I wrote while waiting for a bus.


If I could sum up South Korea in one word, that word would be 'efficient'. If I was given the option of two, I would say 'efficient and beautiful'. I mean both of these words as a larger complement than I have words to describe. (That's why I picked two). No, while my time here has, at times, been stressful, hectic, and terrifying it has definitely not been because of the people. In fact I have survived here in large part because of the people. Whenever I find myself wandering, (often) it's a sweet old couple, or a hip young dude, or a crazy old man that help me find my way. This would not be as easy in LA.

When I get overwhelmed, or upset when thinking about my time here so far, and start to blame the people, or the language, or the lay of the land, I simply try and realize that I am just plagued by the same human flaw that plagues all those poor, negativity driven ass hold on the internet; the problem of self. My dad always said something along the lines of: if you are in an environment where the cards are stacked against you and the people don't like you and things are not going your way, maybe (probably), it is not all of them that is the problem, but you.

The importance of positivity when living in a situation like this cannot be overstated. I would assume the same rule holds in being fully immersed in any culture for an entire year, but with the Korean people there is even less reason to be anything but positive. Of course there are the ass holes here, but for that I blame the human condition, not the Korean people. 95% of people I bow to on the street and greet with an "anyong aseyo" love it, even if they just love the effort.

I wanted to get the serious feeling about the trip out first. I am sorry. Believe me when I say that I will be posting much more about my ridiculous experiences. The story of the spitting old man, out drinking (heavily) with my whole faculty, a Korean man violating every rule of the urinal code of conduct. And yes, I will tell the story of the great bidet incident. (not okay).

Any way, that is about all the blogging I am feeling up to right now! Love you guys!

Living the Dream,

Kyle.