Thursday, August 16, 2007

a few pictures with a broken camera

For those of you who don't know, my camera's broken. This should explain what's to follow, as the pictures aren't so hot and aren't so many. I'm also not much of a picture taker, because i feel like a voyeur or a tourist trapping images for consumption later. I also feel at times as though I'm perceived as some sort of inspector or critic of the world when I have a camera. I guess, in the end, that I'm just awkward with one, and it shows.
These pictures are in reverse order:
This is the wonderful fish-killing aquarium on the way to school (The crabs are huge-normous... I wouldn't want to be the one to pull them out)



This is a building that really just started being built around the time I got here. Gotta love Korean efficiency.



This is a view on the walk to school of the sidewalk ahead.


This is the view across the street from my apartment building.

>
This is the door to my apartment.




And that's it for now. I might post more after tomorrow, which is the ridiculous "International Day" where we dress kids up as stereotypes. Michelle (one of the Korean teachers) and I were going to do Mexico, but are doing Mexico and Native American because, as Sun put it, "Mexico is, for girls, you know, kind of ugly." So my girls are going to have their faces painted while my boys put on marx brothers mustaches and panchos. It should be interesting. I will sleep well knowing that my kids aren't going to be leprechauns from Ireland or girls in coconut bras from Iran (figure that one out, please?). It's all in good fun, however, and it's very interesting to see how their stereotypes work here.
The result of it all is that I spent three hours today making ponchos and hats, and tomorrow morning I'm going to try to convince children to decorate headbands and wear silly costumes without crying. All the while, they'll probably learn little to no English, but it's all in good fun.

On a more personal note, I'm starting to feel my first pangs of homesickness. Today I had a flashback to Mom singing all of the "I know"s in "Ain't No Sunshine" while we shopped in Big Lots. It's probably going to be a rough couple of weeks as I move out of honeymoon and into settling in, but I've already made it half a month and I've still got a ton of books to read and a ton of things to see, so it's all going to be fine, I'm sure.

Love to all, will write more soon,
Joe

PS- Thanks for all the comments. They make me feel like I'm actually in touch with all of you and make me feel less far than I am.

3 comments:

Sara said...

You're actually doing it. I'm SO proud of you for following your heart, Joeyboy.

Unknown said...

hi uncle joey!

i just found your blog and i can't wait to read more. i was just looking through some old pictures and i found the series of photos of you and i from halloween and it really made me miss you. :( oh well! you're on a fantastic voyage and i'm totally jealous.

<3 megan

Angie said...

Been out of touch in va for a week - loved coming home to updates! Keep them coming, and if you haven't left yet, have a safe trip to Japan. And tell us about international day. I'll email tomorrow.

Angie