Mon Cicatrice!

Good morning starshine. The earth says ‘hello.’

We have attended many box socials in Jinju during the last few weeks. Last Thursday we had a ‘fare thee well’ party for the Canadian teacher who worked part time at our school. He is returning to Canada land with his Korean bride and plans to become a doctor. The whole staff went out and we drank vats of beer, ate legs of mutton, and sang sea shanties. Well, we had vats of beer delivered to the table but the rest isn’t strictly true… We are teachers, not pirates. We all became embroiled in an extremely complicated drinking card game that lasted until four in the morning. All the cards in the deck had certain rules attached to them and if you failed to follow said rules you had to fight to the death. Or take a sup of beer, your choice. The Ace was a special card and he or she who got this card could make up their own rules. Unfortunately one of the teachers went quite mad with power and made everyone down entire pints repeatedly for her amusement. As a result some of the teachers were still drunk whilst teaching the next day... Here is a pic of us doing 'cute face.' The man who looks like a chesire cat is Rob's replacement. His name is Don and he hails from Lond-ing town. 

We went out again the next night for Rob’s second leaving party but we retired quite early because we are pansy folk. On Saturday the Jinju expat community went on an excursion to a ‘watering hole’ a few miles outside of the city. There we drank warm beer and swam in the cold river. Twas all in honour of a portly Texan by the name of Oscar who was celebrating his birth. Here is a pic of him diving from a cliff. 

I myself didn’t venture into the river as I don’t care for water, too wet. Later we all went out to a Chinese pub for another farewell party in honour of a South African girl who is returning home after being fired for asking too many impertinent questions at work. Women speaking out of turn are frowned upon here. We must refrain from saying anything that challenges male authority and limit our conversation to delightful remarks about kittens and knitting. Women, KNOW YOUR LIMITS.

The weekend before last we went to Geoje Island on the bike. The journey took over two hours so I was walking like a crab for a while after but it was a fun outing none the less.  There were many fine pebble beaches ripe for admiring and many a leafy tree to be spied with my comically small eye. 

The only downside of the island was a serious shortage of food. There were about 40 seafood restaurants along the promenade. However, they favour live seafood and I only like fish when I can be sure that it will be good and dead by the time it reaches my plate. The prospect of eating a live octopus that might grab on to my tongue for dear life on its way down does not appeal to me. (Apparently they actually do hold on to your tongue with their tentacles!) We also went to a bar called ‘Witches’ with the Korean teachers that weekend. The owner of the establishment foretold our futures with the aid of tarot cards. Thankfully I did not get the grim. I did get a card with a naked chick bathing in a stream though. I’m not sure how well that image represents me…

There is to be a ‘Mask and Dance Festival’ in Jinju this weekend. I look forward to a couple of days of well mannered frivolity. I must dash now as I must away to work soon. A new semester is starting next week and our hours have been increased yet again so I must do battle with our evil overlord once more. Sigh.