Is This It? This Is It!

I've been on the receiving end of some gentle chiding recently on the old 'last gig ever' front. My first 'last ever gig' in Korea was in.... December 2007, or thereabouts. Yep - that's more than three-and-a-half years ago... Then there was our 'last-ever' with John and Kev, 'last-ever' with Jim, 'last-ever' UR Seoul, 'last-ever' Dead End Friends, 'last-ever' random gig, 'last-ever' at this/that venue... you get the picture. Of course, an element of it is trying to twist people's arm to come out. The whole 'pushing' part of being in bands is often pretty annoying (for you and me both!), but most of the time people seem to have fun, so I feel good about it more often than I feel bad. The real crux of the matter, though, is that I honestly never know that this or that gig won't actually end up being my last gig! I didn't really have any intention of returning to live in Korea when I left for South America in 2007 (I had been planning China as my next step, just as I am now). We had no idea how we could cope with the departures of Kev, John and Jim, before we were lucky enough to link up with other musicians who enabled us to keep the whole experience going that little bit longer...

I think the same can be said for any of us, in anything we do. I doubt FC Seoul's Ou Gyoung Jun had much of an idea that he was more than likely playing his last-ever game of professional football, as he started in our 1-0 League Cup defeat away to Gyeongnam on June 29th - although he may have had an inkling... I'm not going to go down morbid alley on a Friday night but we never know when we wake up in the morning whether or not this could be the last day in which we take a walk in our favourite park, listen to or favourite song, hold our favourite person's hand, or sing some of the best songs ever written with awesome musicians and wiggle around in front of an unsuspecting public!

This gig at Club FF tomorrow night will almost certainly be my last in Korea. Yes, of course it's not impossible that I might link up with someone in a future weekend trip to Seoul from Nanjing. Yes, I might end up hating my life in China and be back in a few months with my tail between my legs. Who knows? Still, the way I see it, I'm going to go into anything I love doing, with the thought that it just might be my last chance, and try to squeeze every last ounce of enjoyment out of the experience. If I don't see you at my latest 'last-gig', I'll see you a the next one...

Opportunities

Really upbeat today. Did an interview this morning, really just for the sake of it, which turned out really well. It was with Dipont Education for an international school in China, which I had already all but written off in my mind behind the option of going to Cairo (which I have, in theory at least, accepted). As a result, I wasn't at all nervous and was really frank in explaining the incredible irregularity of my qualifications and teaching experience. Teenagers in England > elementary school kids in Korea > adults in Buenos Aires > adults in Korea > Uni students and kids in Korea. It doesn't exactly look as though it has been rationally thought through by someone who has a clear view of the desired trajectory of his career. So I just explained that I felt too young to settle down to a teaching career at 23 and wanted to work in different teaching environments whilst studying towards my MA, which is the truth! That conversation led to me telling her that, eventually, I want to be a Social Studies/History teacher, which in turn led to her lining me up for an A-Level History & ESL position at Nanjing Foreign Language School. It's by no means a done deal (both sides have things to look into) but it looks a great option if it comes through. A path back into the kind of teaching I really want to be doing, a lot earlier than I had anticipated.

So I'm in good form today because my mood is almost 100% influenced by events that happen to me rather than by my own self-control. Blue skies and snow out my window. Lots of work to get through with my students in our last two classes tonight and tomorrow because I was only about 50% all there the first week of the course this time around. Big, big, big celebrations in store for St. Patrick's Day (otherwise known as St. Patrick's Weekend over here). Will dash out of work on Friday to headline the Friday night at FF's 'Go Green' party and, if I pace myself, we'll be hosting the St. Patrick's Day party at Rocky Mountain Tavern on Saturday night. That's a big 'if'...

The End Is Nigh

Hey all, hope your weekend was as fun as mine. We headed out to Bucheon with the band on Friday night for a show at The Park. It's a bit of a funny venue in that it tends to be very polite and restrained during the first half, only to go totally nuts for the second. Jeff was in flying form and we went on for about three encores, including what seemed like a never-ending version of Born to be Wild with plenty of crowd participation. Fun times. I was staying in a really nice motel over there (they do exist) so I stayed as long as I possibly could the next day before they came up to gently insist that I get the hell outta there.

I finally gave in to peer pressure by getting a haircut in Shinchon, but it was what Jim dubbed a, "compromise cut" in that I didn't really cut it up all that short. It was one of those weird experiences we have here as foreigners: put to the front of the queue; the boss came out to cut my hair; about half a dozen staff members gathered round to watch; a generous discount for no particular reason, etc. I know I had to get it done but, I miss my out-of-control-tramp-esque hair...

A couple of our friends were having their last night out n Seoul (unless they come back...) so, after a bit of pool with Stephen and Creego, we headed over to Shamrock n' Roll for grub and a few drinks. Jes was on a no-drinking vow for the night, but this didn't seem to include any of the shots we were buying her... curiously... There were obviously a lot of farewell parties that night, because Club FF was absolutely jammed. Angry Bear were playing before us, and were quite good this time around. They are a nice bunch of blokes too - fair play to them for going down the 'originals' road so steadfastly. I had an absolute ball during our gig. Great crowd, great set, lots of energy. It was just one of those great nights where everything comes together. We were getting a lot of good feedback after the show, but we still need to do more to get our name out there on the Seoul music circuit. I'm looking into getting some posters and leaflets made up for every gig, and just take it out of whatever the kitty is.

Sunday was a lazy one. Ji and I headed to Nowon for Jimdak and watched 'Unknown', the new Liam Neeson flick. It was one of those ridiculous, intelligence-insulting films, that I always hate myself for watching when I occasionally do so. It had some redeeming features in it's action scenes, car chases, Neeson not being terrible (unlike January Jones), but if you're thinking of watching it and there is ANYTHING else on - go see that (in my humble opinion).

Yesterday marked the start of a new 'session' at work and the first day for a new batch of teachers. There was a lot more hustle and bustle in the teacher's room, with new teachers not sure what to do, and 'older' teachers trying to help them out. It seems as though they all got on fine and enjoyed their classes; it isn't a difficult job to get through at all. I'm teaching a higher level than usual this time so it took (and will take) a bit of adjusting. However, they seem like good classes, and I'm looking forward to trying out a few new things and stretching them as much as I can.

Today is a holiday in Korea so I've been studying (some Council of Europe guidelines for selecting methods, approaches and materials - directly applicable to my teaching for once), dealing with job offers (I accepted the job in Egypt...), and I'm just about to go and meet a few friends in Itaewon for dinner. I hope everyone is doing well this week. Bizarrely, it seems as though there was something on the radio at home about 'old friends', which prompted three different people to email me pretty much out of the blue. Small world we live in...

Decision Time!

Just checking in here before the weekend. Session Two of DDE1 finished off today, so it was a short, straightforward day for me and I'm just about to head over to Bucheon to meet Catherine for dinner before our gig tonight. I was a bit cheeky earlier by kind of disappearing after our class party and avoiding the picture-taking and general mass-hysteria of the last day. Of course, as I live in the building, I bumped into loads of them afterwards anyway, which was probably more awkward than if I had just stayed and gotten it over with. One of my classes this time was a bit unenthusiastic (being kind there...) so I think I would have felt a bit false doing the big farewell charade with them. The other classes were great, as they mostly are, and they have a big adventure ahead of them with university (proper) starting next week. It's over ten years since I was in their shoes - teaching is certainly good at making you feel old!

We had an induction for the new teachers at work on Wednesday. Actually, before that, we had to go over to the main campus and stand in front of the parents of the kid's taking our Tuesday and Thursday classes, and introduce ourselves. I didn't really get what was going on (daydreaming was definitely in progress) so when the mic came to me, I waved it away, and my boss wound up having to introduce me as the "shy teacher." Oops! Anyway, the induction was pretty helpful because this time last year, when we were the new teachers, we didn't really know what any of it meant or related to. This year it kind of helped put things in context. More importantly, we got to meet the new teachers, who all seem really dead on. It's great to have an infusion of new personalities joining us on Monday. Most of us went for dinner and drinks after (some stayed later than others....) and there are definitely a few of them I could see myself becoming good friends with, in what is likely to be my last six months at Duksung.

Speaking of which, I need to make a decision about Cairo on Monday. The timing isn't great, because I now have China and Indonesia on the table, so I could have been doing with a few more days to look into those options. Although I know it's a big risk, my gut is telling me to take the job in Cairo (two-year contract) and just throw myself into it. Although it isn't exactly what I was looking for, I need to be realistic about the fact that I'm unlikely to get that. There are a lot of positives: it's closer to home; it's a new area and culture for me to experience; it's a step up and sets me on my way for a lifetime of international school teaching; it's well-paid with good holidays; it seems to be a good school, etc. Some of my research suggests that student behaviour in Egypt might not be what I'm used to in Korea, but I'm willing to bet any money that it's better than what I was used to in England.

I hope you all have something fun planned for the weekend. If I see any of you in person over the next few days, expect me to pester you to fill out a questionnaire to help my sister, Rachel, with her dissertation research. Lot's of other things going on but not the kind of stuff you blog about. Not me anyhow. Fingers crossed it's a good, safe weekend, and that everything looks clearer on Monday.

Out Cold

Didn't manage to make it to immigration this morning so I REALLY HAVE TO GO TOMORROW!! My Alien Registration Card (ARC) expires on Friday so, with lessons on Thursday and Friday, tomorrow is my last real opportunity. I should actually have the whole day off tomorrow but we have some ceremony to attend on campus and a new teachers' orientation in the afternoon. I set THREE alarms for 6:59, 7:00 and 7:01am this morning but didn't hear a thing. A few new teachers have moved in next door and across the hall. I'm sure they were loving me this morning! Never was one for the good first impressions. At least if the same thing happens tomorrow morning I might be awakened by an angry knock at the door.

I just got in the door from band practice in Hongdae. We only had two hours to go through EVERYTHING we are planning on doing this Friday and Saturday, so there was a lot of flying through things we think we already know, and a few songs we had to skip over altogether. Still, things were sounding pretty good and it'll be great to get back in action. Cheon got the venue mixed up so we were without a bassist for the first half-an-hour: 'crossed-wires' might have been an apt band name I often think.

So, tomorrow it should be immigration> interview for a school in China > campus shenanigans > teachers' meeting > cooking for Ji > collapsing in a heap. I just found out today from two of my referees that my old degree (International Politics at Magee) is being discontinued, and that the Conservatives are looking at removing Citizenship Education (what I did my teaching certificate in) from the curriculum in England. Aside from making it even harder for me to motivate myself to work on my Master's (in Citizenship Education - which has also been discontinued), it certainly is something to bear in mind as I job hunt. Where one door closes, another opens, and all that.

Been A While

Well here I am in Starbucks, Itaewon, finally getting around to updating this; the latest self-imposed bain upon my existence! I have been kind of off the radar since last Thursday for one reason or another, but here I am again, much the same as I was last week. Realistically, how much can change in a few days? Quite a bit, probably.

Our big, highly-anticipated (by us) 'lads not on tour' night was a bit of a messy blur last Saturday night. It was definitely fun for a good chunk of the night, before it all went off the rails for me with embarrassing consequences. Soju... Need I say more? Eden is not and never shall be my cup of tea, Sven Vath could have been a song on a CD player somewhere, and I was most comfortable at 'Gerry's' - the first time more than the second, during which time I was, apparently, pretty unresponsive! Still, there's no harm in having a bit of a blow-out once in a while: as long as it is just once in a while.

The working week thus far has been busy, busy, busy. We are back to our DDE intensive classes: six classes a day every day this week, conferences, planning, marking - it doesn't allow much time for much else. Which is unfortunate, because everything else is looming as much as it ever was/is/will be. I still have my 'other commitments', dissertation, songs to be learned, brilliant book to be finished, and band stuff. I'm actually in Itaewon because we were supposed to have practice tonight, but it was called off at short-notice, which happens. We just need a few hours to refresh our set for gigs next weekend at The Park, Bucheon (Friday 25th) and Club FF, Hongdae (Saturday, 26th). Will be great to get back on it and set up a busy March, which I'm hoping will include a gig in Daejeon, and an outdoor slot for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in central Seoul.

On the job-hunt front, it's still much the same as ever. I'm still proceeding with the application process for Cairo English School, arranging an interview with Mt Zaagkam International School, and applying anywhere else I see fit. I had a bit of an annoying experience with an international school here in Seoul over the last couple of days, but I'll go into that tomorrow. Too tired to deal with details today: I didn't fall asleep until after 4am last night, for no particular reason.

Ireland: keep emailing me the craic about the election. I'm seeing some funny stuff on facebook. Is Enda Kenny really going to...?

Hope you're all having a good week. Back in more depth tomorrow, hopefully.