 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week 33- Y4(Oct 26th to Nov 1st) |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Monday (Oct. 27):
Oh my god. Tonight at 6pm, we had the mother of all meetings at work. Finally everyone showed up, and we all sat in a big square in the lecture room, so that everyone could see eachother. The whole thing was utterly awful. Everyone was just yelling at each other, and while I couldn't understand most of what was going on; I could tell that there was very little that was logical about the other professors' accusations to Jae: it all seemed emotional and not based on any factual evidence at all. And of course Jae got all riled up, and started yelling back too. Ben pretty much stopped translating, so Kenji and I were mostly in the dark, but the whole thing lasted more than 4 HOURS, and I don't know if I've ever felt so drained in my life. I think these guys kind of know they're fighting a losing battle (it seems that Jae has hard evidence to refute all of their issues), but in Korea, it's really important not to "lose face". I guess if they back down
now, the 5 of them will feel that their pride has been destroyed. There was a guy sitting in from the main office, observing the meeting, and about halfway through, he stood up, announced that he had expected us to be able to work it out since we're PROFESSORS and not children, but that we were still getting absolutely nowhere, and that there was really no point in him listening to all our bullcrap. Then he walked out. I don't see how this mess is going to end at all at this point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday:
So tomorrow is Sports Day at PaekChe, which means that there's no classes. I was all excited about not having to stay in Iksan. But no, we have to have another freaking meeting tomorrow. Grr.
So tonight after class, Kenji and I went out for some beers to a) bitch about school and b) work out my masters plans! Kenji has recommended some great players for my masters pre-screening audition CD, and he's helping me book a recording studio too. He also had really great insight into life in New York and what I can expect if I end up there . . . we always think of musicians like Seamus Blake as being amazing and way above anything we could ever achieve, but then Kenji was living down the street from him in Harlem. It's kind of reassuring to think of things that way, that being a jazz musician is a respectable, if slightly unusual, job, and that the overall playing level in New York is just higher. For every Seamus Blake, there's about 10 other guys who are just as good that I haven't even heard of yet! I can't wait to be there and check it out myself!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday:
This meeting was such a stupid waste of time. This one was at the main office, and it was totally irrelevent to Kenji and I (something to do with student enrollment, and since we can't speak Korean, we have nothing to do with that). What a waste of an entire day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friday:
So I've had a rough week, pain-wise, and I decided that I needed a good night out to help lift my spirits a little. First I went over to the dance studio for the annual Halloween party. Of course I can't dance right now, but it was great to see everyone and hang out. Sidenote: my former student Su Bok, who played the piano at Joey and Helen's wedding, is now taking lessons at the studio, and hanging out with all my dance friends! Cool! I'm glad that she's having fun, and feels comfortable at our studio.
After that, I went to Hongdae to meet up with Summer to check out Sound Day. On Sound Day, you pay 15 000 won, and you can get into a bunch of clubs to check out live music. Because it was Halloween though, it was way way busy, and in my current state, I found it hard to deal with being jostled around and having to scrounge for seats. We ended up at DGBG to check out St John the Gambler, and after the show Mark Baker, Marc Proulx, Summer and I ran into Bobby and Matty, and we all went over to this crazy bar called Oi. Oi is all white inside, and there's little islands and bridges all over the club. It kind of feels like being on a glacier. Tonight was cool, because it's one of the only times all three of the roommates have been out together at the same time. Really fun, and a really late night. Again, alcohol is still the best painkiller I've had yet!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Saturday:
So I was going to lay low tonight, but Summer ended up convincing me to go to a house party in Haebangchon. I'm kind of glad I went, because we ended up meeting some really cool people (you'd be surprised how few of those there are in Korea!) As far as pain goes, I'm feeling a little better: my physio therapist made some really great progress today on my neck and my upper back, but my knees are still screwed. So while I was having fun, when the party moved into Itaewon, I went home instead. Smart choice!
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|