W & Whale

I discovered W &Whale about two weeks ago when I saw a poster for their concerts in Seoul this weekend. I looked them up on youTube, and they instantly became my favorite Korean band! I am extremely excited to see them this weekend.

Here are a few videos to get you started. "RPG Shine" ("RPG" stands for "Rocket Punch Generation") was their first single:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juA0Hw5EgaA

and "High School Sensation" is their latest:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mP8mdZiJBk

Their cover of Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" (which sealed the deal for me):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NR7n9ElaMU

and Destiny's Child's "Say My Name" (which I had never heard until this version; I think I can pass on the original):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhVNYqj-Lpw

Enjoy!

Hellos and goodbyes, part two

Despite all of the recent goodbyes, there is one big hello, as Schuyler arrived last month to teach in nearby Uijeongbu for a year. He and Val teach at the same school, but their school is so big that they are in different buildings.

Schuyler hit the ground running when he arrived, as less than 48 hours after landing, he went to Seoul with me to Becky, Nicki, and Amy's farewell party. He has also started Korean lessons, and is making friends rapidly. Welcome, and congratulations, Schuyler!

Top to bottom:

1. My first successful attempt at picking up a Korean gal!
2. Charlie Brown and my Linus impersonation.
3. Me, Lucy, Schuyler, and some new friends.
4. Schuyler, me, and YuJin at Sharon's going away party at The Ice Bar.
5. American-style breakfast with Heather, Ryan, and Schuyler.

Hellos and goodbyes, part one

I have made many, many wonderful friends here, and I am sure that I will meet more great folks, but it was really tough for me when Becky and Nicki left last month. They had been friends with each other for many years, but when I met them last May, they instantly welcomed me into their circle and we have been great friends ever since. I can't imagine what life would have been like during my first year in Korea without those two (cue Leonard Cohen's "Sisters of Mercy"). They are traveling around Asia for the next three months or so, and then Nicki is starting grad school, and Becky has some plans/schemes/ideas up her sleeve. I miss them a lot, but I know that we will see each other again in various places over the coming years.

Also saying goodbye recently were the very hilarious Heather (who, like Nicki, will move back to Chicago, where I will surely see them again), Sarah and Amy (both in Canada), and Sharon (from Scotland). Sharon's goodbye party was on Saturday, and I hope it is the final one I have to go to for 11 months or so.

Top to bottom:

1. Val, DooHee, and I at Nicki and Becky's going away party.
2. Nicki, her parents, and I.
3. Me (and DooHee), smiling even though the gals are leaving soon . . .
4. and 5. Becky and I.

A lot has happened since my birthday

. . . which is about when I last posted.

The news today is that I renewed my visa this afternoon, after signing a contract for a second year at my school. So it is official: I will be at my school until April 4, 2010.

It seems as if I just recently arrived, even though I have been here just a few days short of a year (April 7 will be my one-year anniversary).

Here are some highlights from the past two months.

BIRTHDAY WEEKEND

I had two fun celebrations with different groups of friends. First, a bunch of us went to Our Place for Italian dinner and cocktails. Marysol, Valerie, Dana, Nicki (who is not in the photo because she took it, if memory serves), and her very cool parents helped me have a wonderful, wonderful time!

The following day some other folks went to a Korean Basketball League game and/or Mexican dinner at On the Border with me. Kathleen took those photos (thanks, K) and because of my formatting issues, you might not know who is who, but Kathleen, Lia, Heather, Sarah, Ryan, Val, Kimmy, HeeWon, and Deon were all there to make this a fun-tacular day.

By the way, I shared my birthday with Lunar New Year this year --- January 26, 2009.

Okay, Blogger won't let me add any more photos to this post, so I will start a new one . . .

Top to bottom:

1. Thanks for the puzzle-rifficness, Kathleen and Liam!
2. Val, Kimmy, and me
3. Me with Heewon and Deon
4. Me with Val, Heather, Sarah, and Ryan
5. Me with Kathleen and Liam
6. Marysol, Valerie, Dana, and Christina are in the back row, and Mary and Becky are in the front.