So, who has an advanced scuba license?

Yeah, add another point to my resume.

Luc does.

Alright, scuba was not bad. In fact, I was worried I'd forgotten everything, but I hadn't. Just a few small things. Like which direction my BC connects to my air tank. And that if you stop-breathe (hold your breath momentarily at the end of exhalation or inhalation) for a long time, you come out of the water with a headache. I'd also forgotten the strange sensation of my sinuses being basically inflated. It feels like the passage between your nose and mouth is somehow closing, and you want to blow your nose or something, but that's impossible. So, after the first 1 or 2 nervous dives on the first day, I was fine. We did 3 dives, rested, ate, and played for about 6 hours, then went for 1 night dive. (Only a small group. I was leader of the Advanced-Course group of students) The night diving was incredible, but a bit scary. I know I used considerably more air than normal. (Rapid breathing)

Sleep, wake up at 5:30, repeat. The advanced group went out on boats the second day. We did 3 more dives, this time reaching depths of 45 meters, and saw stingrays. (That's 148 feet, or roughly 15 stories underwater. Sweet, right?) We ate and played in the waterpark at a brand new resort where our scuba center was located. The buffet was so awesome it had made-to-order pasta, pizza, and udon, as well as salmon and (holy shit) tuna sashimi. O.O But the best part, (chocoholic warning) was the chocolate fondue fountain.

Sleep, wake up at 5:30, repeat. My advanced course group was broken up to join the 3 normal groups and everyone did boat diving together. The regular course students were so cute because they were like, "Wow! It's a boat! I never thought I'd be on a boat!" As a side note, riding on the front of a boat is still awesome. That evening, we went back to our resort, had a buffet including one of those whole roasted pigs.... apple and everything. (Just like last year, but still, weird) and we all received our licenses. Then we went out to a club. (Yes, me and 30-several of my college age students and the scuba instructor went to a club together.)

I'm not going to let myself

be one of those people who starts a blog to keep in touch or chronicle their life and adventures and then drops it after a few months because they get tired of writing, or worse, runs out of things to write. I've got plenty of stuff to write about, it's just not all been worth putting on this blog lately. Plus I've been busy.

Somebody like Luc should make it at least a year before he drops the blogging habit.

First of all, I def have a technology obsession. And my internet connectivity does not help that. I've set up quite a digital "eye" that allows me to easily follow consumer electronics and software development in some areas. But it's time consuming and almost pointless, because A, I'm not buying a bunch of electronics or anything, and B, it's not like anyone needs that information from me. Like, if I worked at Geek Squad or something, this addiction would make sense. But I'm a Physics teacher who teaches English..... and Martial Arts. So it's kindof a waste of time and a killer of productivity.

I'm going to explain now what's been up this month..... sortof.

When I went to The Philippines (which was beautiful and stuff)

there were a few problems. First of all, we flew Cebu airlines (not splendid, but anyways,) and I had to spend about the first 30-45 minutes of our time at cruising altitude explaining the entry/customs forms to my students. (Even if you've studied a foreign language, do you know how to say "Nationality" or "Place of Issue"?) I was in the flight attendants' way, apparently, but they seemed charmed by the young English teacher helping all his students. Then I finished all that, finally fell asleep (dead tired.)

Suddenly, I woke up to the flight attendants shaking me and the students around me asking me to wake up. "Sir, one of your students was _________ .......... we had to confiscate______ ............ lands a police officer will escort him......." in a hurried Filippino accent (or any accent, I suppose) is not a pleasant way to wake up. After waking up, I learned that one of my students (who'd never flown outside of Korea before and didn't understand the flight announcements which were only in English) smoked in the airplane lavatory about 3 hours into our flight. I was pissed. But then I remembered that I'm not actually in charge of these students. This is not my class trip. And the scuba professor speaks decent English. So I sent the flight attendants away.

Anyways, we landed, this kid got scolded and arrangements were made for him paying his penalty fees after he returned to Korea, and then we went to the resort. The Philippines makes me sweat.

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