Gangster convention.

Before anything else, I forgot to mention that 2 weeks ago this friday was professor Kim's birthday. (My boss) Just because I remembered, he was touched, and the cake and socks the assistants and I gave him moved him. ^^

Cake in the classroom.

So, I had this funny conversation with a friend yesterday that became way more relevant today.
He said last night that he hates people in my department. Wait, what? He hasn't met anyone from my school yet.... But he meant he hates people in sports majors or exercise-related departments. Ah, ok, I get it. Why would someone hate that university department? Because in Korea it's like a fraternity, just being on a sports team or in a sports major. As in most countries, they get excused from classes and exams, etc, they can effectively get away with anything. In Korea, this goes a step further. Because of age-based hierarchies, the senior students can be pretty terrible to the younger ones.... as in, "Hey, go buy me a soda." or "What did you say!? *kick*" and so on. And we've had issues with seniors getting in serious trouble for mistreating their subordinate students. Anyways, I pointed out the gang-like nature of my department, and how even good or intelligent students fall victim to the mob mentality. (Had to teach him that term) Like me. I'm cool, and would have no part in that stuff normally, but I love my students, and when they have a gladiator-like showdown after a class with people cheering all around them, I just smile and watch and think, Oh, my young rowdy students. (Cue fatherly, proud smile)

And guess what I found when I arrived at the University this morning? A gangster's convention in our gym. The national sports games are going on right now, and our university was chosen to host soccer and wrestling. It was a mess. Hundreds of competitors, hundreds of coaches and directors and such. Honestly, all the angry-looking, scar-faced, short, and squat suit clad men silently waging war against each other while waiting for their students to compete was pretty intense. I was intimidated just going in to give my exam in the lower floors. This is my university, for crying out loud, the way they looked at me like I was encroaching on their turf is just ridiculous. I despise those people for creating that kind of atmosphere. It has never been so palpable to me. I have nothing against boxing, martial arts, sports, wrestling, or whatever, but those specific people are a manifestation of the stigma against exercise.
Vent closed.

Check out some new clothes!

Anyways, I had a pretty bad weekend at first, but the end of it washed away my frustrations.

I had a kind of beef last night that you eat with vegetables and a kind of bean sprout. It was excellent. The beef is sliced into thin slivers, and you grill it (each piece takes about 30 seconds) and then put it on a sesame leaf, add bean sprouts, kimchi, onion, garlic, sauce, etc and wrap up the leaf like a mini green burrito and eat. Sounds complicated, and it is unless you're used to korean style, at-the-table-barbeque, but man, it was awesome. I ate till I was stuffed. And I had some Sake with dinner, it came out in a special pitcher that had ice inside a glass bubble inside the pitcher... weird, but cool........ get it?

Oh, and I gave a test today that I made from scratch with scissors and glue and it looks awesome. Labelling body parts. Teacher Luc=ftw