I'm a waste of space.

There has been so much happening over the past little while that this is going to be a fucking long post, so bear with.

About three weeks ago I was pulled aside by my General Manager and Campus owner (John and Youngjoo, respectively). They did the usual banter about how was my weekend and If I had any plans for the upcoming holidays; time wasting crap. Then they started to talk about how I like Youngdo, how my classes were going and all that...then they really started getting into it. Basically, John said how I had been getting a few complaints from mothers and how my classes had been slipping. Then, out of no where, Youngjoo says "So this is your first warning and if you don't improve, we will have to let you go". Keep in mind, Youngjoo doesn't speak English that well, so to have her break this news to me was RIDICULOUS. They also said how they would work with me over the next week to help me improve.

One week passes and I still have not been approached by john or Youngjoo to see how my classes have been going. Also, keep in mind that I've been trying to improve in the areas they have suggested (student care, mainly) so I'm starting to get weirded out. Then, one more week passes and on Friday (December 19th) they called me in to the main office for another chat. Then, they go on another speech saying how they're sorry that they haven't met with me but noticed a big improvement in my performance and how everything has done a complete 180; basically telling me I'm off the hook. Great. Awesome.

Also, on Friday it was Riley's birthday, so there was a meeting for him and people brought cake and stuff. Then, in the meeting, Youngjoo steps forward and says "I'm sure you all know of Jonathan's story?" The room goes silent and I'm immediately thinking "where are you going with this?" Turns out, she has decided to tell everyone how proud Youngdo is of me improving me teaching and not sucking anymore (yes, she actually said "Jonathan doesn't suck anymore"). This made everyone, cringe in awkwardness and me turn as red as a bloody hand; probably one of the most embarassing moments of my life. Looking back on it now, it's an extremely funny story to tell, but at that time I wanted to kill myself.

Apart from that, my past two weeks have been filled with awesomeness! I had promised Peculia that I would teach her guitar a while ago, so on the 13th her, Michelle and I decided to head out to Jongo in order to make good on my promise. After about 30 minutes of hunting around, I managed to find her a good starter acoustic for 80 000won that included an extra set of strings, bag, strap and a tuning winder. Also, we decided to do secret santa at work, so I managed to grab my secret santa's present at the mart (he plays bass, so I picked him up some elixer strings). After that, we went over to Dongdaemun to meet up with Rosa and do some more shopping. Dongdaemun is basically a huge shopping area with stalls everywhere: in the subway, on the street and a HUGE 9-story mall. We went to the mall, grabbed soem dinner and proceeded to look around. However, I was so damned tired from the hunting around that I opted to head home for a nap.

After my nap, I headed out with Dave and Greg to Hongdae to meet up with Kelly, Janice and Doug. They were at Rocky Mountain Tavern and completely shitfaced. After about 20 minutes, Michelle, Rosa and Peculia meet up with us and we start to drink more. After that, we all headed out to Bar Oi for the first time and had a completely surreal time: green apple hooka, random masks, a gay server who's hilariously awesome, me buying a 40000 won bottle of champagne, Kelly getting lost and us trying to find her. It was one of the most weird and crazy nights that I have had here yet and it only went downhill from there.

Later in the week on Wednesday the 17th, Dave said that his buddy Collum had a couple friends in from Ireland and was wondering if I would like to come meet up with them for a mid-week drink. Now, I couldn't miss an opportunity to meet more Irish people, seeing as how they've all been amazingly rad, so I said yes. We met up with Tracey and headed out for one of the most intense drinking sessions I have had here yet.

First, we go to this amazing Galbi place where they all were eating dinner. It was Collum, two of his friends who were teachers and then there were the two Irish guys (one was named Danny and I forget the other guys name). They were all on their way to getting trashed and wanted us to go down with them. Generally they were loud, brash, hilarious and trainwrecks; at one point Danny snorted Soju and wnated me to do it which I declined by pretending to snort it but tossing it on the table at the last second. After the galbi place, we went to a noraebang and sang an array of songs while drinking more beer and soju. After that, and everyone was heading home, the Irish tried to literally corral me into staying and going to a club with them. They fenced me in and wouldn't let me leave until I backed up into a car, set off the alarm, and managed to duck out. So, considering what went down that night, I have come tot he conclusion that proper Irishmen are too ridiculous for me to handle and I'll stick to my subdues ones.

The Saturday after that we had to work in order to make up for one lost day, so the entire day was spent half-assing my classes and playing games (what else are you going to do when you only have 5 students in each class?). After that, Greg was playing an open mic in Anyang, so Janice, Michelle and I grabbed some food and headed out to a place that they all laughed at us for going to. Considering no one knows the layout of Seoul (myself included), I shall enlighten you: Anyang is outside of Seoul, and while it is not that far to go, everyone wtill mocked us for makign the trp out there.

We waited around for Greg, Elly and Darren New Zealand friend Leah to show up, and while doing so, we came to the realization that Greg is always late by at least 30 minutes. Once they had united with our tiny posse, we went to the venue which was dubbed Bar Psycho. The bar itself was really cool and had tonnes of graffiti on the walls; it kinda looked like Sneaky dee's but darker and more divey. Greg played a stellar set as always, and after a lot of alcohol consumption, we decided to wander out to find another bar. We ended up going to this club/bar where Michelle got us in for free (not 25000 won per person, like they wanted) and then we drank more. The club itself was nothing that special but I did end up talking to Elly for a good long time which was super cool. After the bar we hopped in cabs and headed over to Hongdae (about a 25000 won ride) only to go home agian because we were all passing out.

After that transpired (which was this past weekend), we had to work two more days and then Youngdo has been so kind as to give us from the 24th until the 2nd off. So, we did what any good foreigners would do: go out. On Tuesday night we did out secret santa gift exchange because Kelly, Janice, rosa and Dave were going to go to China the next day for their break. We went out to the Underground and proceeded to exchange. Riley got The Watchmen from Chris, and we spent a good 15 minutes trying to explain to him why his gift was awesome. Then, it was only when he opened it up and saw that it was a comic book that he seemed overjoyed. I got a harminica in the key of D from Peculia because I mentioned to her that I wanted one when I took her guitar shopping. Michelle got nice shoes from Rosa. Peculia got a phone charm, danging monkey statue, scarf and cat post it notes from Michelle. Kelly got lotion, a toque and a few other things from Dave. Dave got a nice shirt and a pair of leather gloves from Riley...and I forget what Rosa, Janice and Jenny got, but everyone was thoroughly pleased with their presents. After the exchange we decided to go home because we were absolutely bushed.

Then, on Christmas eve, I went out to COEX with Riley, Michelle and Jimmy (Riley's friend from the army) in order to search for a girt for Riley's girlfriend. He ended up buying her a pair of earrings and a necklace, as well as getting things to make her a cheesy coupon book ("one free hug", "one free body massage", those types of coupons). After shopping for a bit, we went to Uno's, got some pizza, then I had to go home and pass out.

After I woke up, Michelle and I met up to go out to Hongdae and meet up with greg and his friend Liz. Greg and Liz were a good hour late, but it didn't matter because in the subway, while waiting for them, there was this group of 25 people with different instruments singing Christmas carols. Also, on Christmas eve, all the couples spend the night together and the guys bring a cake for the girls (no joke), so you see tonnes of people walking around with cakes. There was even this one guy who was walking and his half-eaten cake fell out of his box onto the floor right in front of Michelle and I and Koreans, being as oblivious ad they are, proceeded to step on it and slip everywhere. Michelle and I were killing ourselves laughing and it helped pass the time until Greg and Liz showed up.

We started the night by going to this cool restaurant with a wicked sangria-ish drink and pretty tasty food. We also found this interesting liqueur that tasted like cherries and the waitress dumped a glass of water onto Gregs lap. The restaurant ended up cloaing down at 3 and we proceeded to mosey on to Bar Oi. They wouldn't let up get a hooka this night, so I protested by not buying a bottle of champagne. They were doing an anti-christmas celebration with a black dress code, so it kinda looked like a goth club in there. Also, the awesome gay server was there and we all danced and partied until it shut down at 5. Now, in Korea, the subway opens at 6, so we had an hour to kill until we could head out. We decided to go to a noraebang so Greg manages to find the most expensive noraebang in Hongdae and led us to it. It cost about 35000won per hour but the rooms were huge and had a keyboard in it. We procceded to sing a lot and by the end of our two hour session, we were all passing out on the couches. Then, as we parted ways, instead of taking the subway home like we planned, Michelle and I just hopped in to a cab because we were too tired.

After waking up at 4, I met Michelle and Peculia in order to go out for Christmas dinner. We headed out to this restaurant called Mad For Garlic where there was about an hour wait. We killed time by going to a coffee shop upstairs and I was so hungray I ate a bagel, after which I proclaimed that the hardest thign about Christmas wasn't being away from family and friends but that I had to wait another 30 minutes until I could eat again. ah hour passed, we went downstairs, got a table, and proceeded to wait for Greg, for he was also going to partake in our Christmas festivities. However, because he is Greg, he also turne dout to be 3 hours late which forced Michelle, Peculia and I to order. This restaurant was also really cool: it looked like an italian bistro and everything has massive amounts of garlic in it. I ende dup ordering the garlic fondue, a caprese salad and the garlicpeno pasta that was extremely spicy and delicious. Michelle ordered the gorgonzola pasta and Peculia ordered the seafood pasta. Then, Greg showed up and he ordered the same thing I did; damn Welsh.

After dinner, we were all at a loss for what to do, so we did what any good foreigner would do: we went to the casino. I have never been to a real casino before, so it was an exiting time for me! I decided that all I wanted to do was put money in and pull something, so we hit up the slots. I quickly realized that the novelty of the casino would only take you so far, and we ended up leaving after 30 minutes, however in that time I managed to double the money I put in and left with 23000won. We all parted ways after that and I headed home where I proceeded to call everyone and wish them a merry Christmas.

That's it for the wrap-up! Sorry for not posting for so long and sorry that this one is ridiculously long, but I have been busy beating Fallout and my kids; someone's gotta do it. I think this weekend I'm going to meet up with Andrew and finally buy myself a digital camera, we'll see what happens though.

I hope everyone back home is having an amazing Christmas, and that you're all staying safe. I'll try and be less sketchy and update this more. Hopefully next time, there will be pictures to show.