2023-05-26 13:45
Well, the contract has been signed, and the countersigned contract has been returned, my SMOE school has been informed, my airplane ticket has been bought (for way too much won), so it's now… Read More
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The Seoul Patch Blog
seoulpatch.blogspot.com
Read the ramblings of a middle-aged American teacher, writer and soccer coach teaching English in Seoul, South Korea since August, 2008. Expect entries on education, lesson planning, politics, soccer, food, culture ... and travel
2023-04-17 05:18
After years of Covid closures, the Cherry Blossom Festival finally returned to Junjungno, the street that circles around the top end of Yeouido at the Korean government's legislative ce… Read More
2022-12-11 13:32
Having bought a (used) iPad, part of my needs for upcoming vacation in Thailand, I also needed a charger or power bank, whatever you call it, so I headed on Saturday to Sindorim TechnoMart… Read More
2022-10-29 10:14
When I came to Korea, Lo! these many years ago, Halloween was a phenomenon seen only in Itaewon, the "foreigner district". Times change, so does Korea. Here are two shots I took in my west… Read More
2022-09-08 14:16
There is a new way to do your grocery shopping in Korea, and it is self-service. No, I don't mean self-service check-out! The whole shop is unmanned! Pick up your basket, select your items… Read More
2022-08-17 04:42
As a long-time trivia fan--including a pub trivia host for a time, back in the day--this trivia YT channel I've been following recently is holding a submission contest (random drawing style)… Read More
2021-11-04 09:28
The weather was fine when leaving work today, which you can see in the blue sky. As I noticed the weather, I also noticed the fall colors, and pulled out my iPhone for a few shots. First up… Read More
2021-10-30 11:54
A new mandu pocha--not really restaurant, not actually a covered wagon--opened in my neighborhood about a month ago, and I finally passed by at a time I was hungry and headed home. For those… Read More
2021-10-13 10:59
Had dinner with pal Adam by Dangsan station, junction of lines 2 and 9 that I traverse pretty regularly. As you can see above, the air quality was, um, good, and 0-차 at the CU… Read More
2021-10-01 06:04
Some random pictures of my local street market, just a couple blocks straight out exit #6 Deungchon Sta. on line 9. Fruit and veg, of course, and seafood, lots of seafood: The shrimp kept j… Read More
2021-09-21 13:05
Went to dinner last night with old pal Adam, and he located a good place for 0-차, and sent it to me on Kakao. Guro Digital has a wonderful eating street, but this post is not about… Read More
2021-09-20 06:02
Spam, or other brands of spiced ham processed meat food product like "Ri-cham", are the most popular Chuseok gifts. Chuseok, of course, is the Korean Thanksgiving holiday, the mid-autumn fe… Read More
2021-04-03 12:52
Springtime! And election season! Starting with election season. School elections first. March is also the time when flowers start to bloom here in The Big Big City, the earliest barbinger b… Read More
2020-12-24 09:23
I realize Ihave not posted in about eight months, and there is a reason for that, which I may get into later (Oh, I'm fine, no worries, aside from this terrible Covid pandemic), but there a… Read More
2020-04-26 13:18
Sadly, this year's Yeouido Cherry Blossom Festival was cancelled--not just the tents and shows and activities, access to the street was closed down. Frankly, every year looks pretty similar… Read More
2020-03-28 12:05
As the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted virtually every aspect of life here in Korea and around the world, my annual "first blossoms of spring" post serves this year particularly to remind… Read More
2020-03-12 13:34
I had heard of this place, and was excited that my buddy Adam organized a dinner trip to the eastern side of Seoul, just past Wangsimni sta. on line 5, the Majang Meat Market. It was pretty… Read More
2020-01-26 10:38
Statue of Peace, Peace ParkAfter arriving at Uijeongbu station on Line 1, a full one and a half hours from Gangseo-gu, I came out of the station (exits 4,5 and 6) expecting, based on the map… Read More
2020-01-25 11:07
Trying to fit some high culture into my winter vacation/Seollal holiday, I dropped by NMMCA, and spent over two hours there: it is quite large with a about eight galleries, and had several t… Read More
2020-01-25 10:01
For years I've wanted to take the World Cup stadium tour, but I generally only get over there on game days, when of course they don't offer the tour. I finally made it, and it cost a minima… Read More
2020-01-24 12:11
I'm spending my winter vacation/Seollal holiday in Seoul, doing some of those things I never seem to get around to. First up was a visit to the recently completed Lotte Tower, world's sixth… Read More
2019-12-23 12:23
Ah, Korea's Christmas cakes! Gotta love 'em, and so I do. This year's iteration harkens back to my first Christmas cake, back in 2008. Today at school, we had an elaborate afternoon snack… Read More
2019-12-11 11:21
Regular visitors to my patch of Seoul know I am a sucker for a photo op with a mascot. I have shots with a dozen Korean sports characters from 턱돌이 (Mr. Stone Jaw) to the… Read More
2019-11-17 08:25
I made my fourth visit to the Seoul Lantern Festival, after a few attempts were delayed by the weather; however, the weather last night was brisk but clear, and I made it up there around six… Read More
2019-09-24 11:54
There isn't really a lot to blog about here, except for readers who might want to keep an eye open for next year's event. Breweries (lots) and restaurants (a few) set up tents in the street… Read More
2019-09-16 12:25
… is the question I will ask every class this week as we return to school from the "Korean Thanksgiving" holiday. What's that you say, Dear Reader? What did I do during Chuseok? Well… Read More
2019-09-03 12:32
Visitors to this blog might know that I do love a nice vacation, and I (as mentioned earlier) had a nice one in Cambodia recently. Typically, I share lots of tales, impressions and photos f… Read More
2019-08-11 14:18
At least that's what this sign in a station on Line Nine suggests: "Together Forever, Love, Happiness". It's part of a celebration of Seoul's Metro Line 9 having been open now for 10 years… Read More
2019-08-09 16:54
That glorious day has arrived--summer camp is finished! It may sound like I hate doing camp, but that's not really what's going on; it's just an added responsibility which entails loads of p… Read More
2019-08-02 12:43
I have retooled this two week camp for third and fourth graders to focus mainly on vocabulary and activities; the version for older kids had more in the way of roleplays. The first week fin… Read More
2019-08-01 11:10
No fuffing around, just three tee-shirts with curious English to pseudo-English (see Konglish) messages I've seen and managed to snap in the last few days. ETS TAHE THIS OUTS DE We was lau… Read More
2019-07-08 12:19
A few pics I haven't really had enough for a post about. For years I have not quite managed to get the "money shot" at an FC Seoul game, the dramatic fireworks from the home end at kick-off… Read More
2019-06-26 13:28
Expo MuseumI previously visited Shanghai for the World's Fair or Expo 2010, and thought it would be cool to "re-visit" it on my latest trip, by way of the museum celebrating that Expo and al… Read More
2019-06-22 18:29
As I have mentioned before, I have always loved what we call Chinese food in America. After having been to China five times, I still think I'd be fine with that food, but I do know that tha… Read More
2019-06-22 11:43
Mutianyu is located in the Huairou District of Beijing. According to historical literatures, this section of the Great Wall was built under the supervision of General Xu Da of Emperor Zhu Yu… Read More
2019-06-22 10:24
The Beijing Zoo was so so so packed on the day of my planned visit that you couldn't see the ticket office that I eschewed my desire to view pandas and Pere David's deer that I went with my… Read More
2019-06-19 10:46
In the foreground is the Olympic Tower, built to resemble blades of grass and to mirror the five Olympic Rings, and the stretch of the Olympic Park to the Bird's Nest, the 2018 main stadium… Read More
2019-06-17 13:13
I took a side-trip from Beijing and visited Easter Island! Just kidding, of course! But I was able to strike another thing off my "bucket list", the visit to a "miniature park" that I've alw… Read More
2019-06-16 11:57
Meaning roughly "Northern Sea", Baihai Park has a long history as befits its massive size. Located in northwestern Beijing, it dates back to the 1100s, and 150 years later, Kublai Khan took… Read More
2019-06-16 10:26
The reason I was able to take a long weekend trip to Beijing was because that Thursday was Memorial Day in Korea. TB was able to take the whole day off on Friday, it turns out, because it w… Read More
2019-06-15 13:52
TB and I made a return trip to 798 Art District in north-east Beijing specifically to see the Bowie by Rock exhibit I found on one of the Beijing expat what-to-do websites. At around 100 RMB… Read More
2019-06-13 12:26
The 798 Art Zone is set in a decommissioned military/industrial complex developed in joint between the Chinese and East Germans in the early 1950s, the height of the Cold War. After it was… Read More
2019-06-13 12:20
I've visited this museum (free entry--but like everyplace you go, you need to produce your passport) twice, and there is now a dedicated subway stop on line 8. The first time, most of the ga… Read More
2019-06-12 11:31
City Planning Exhibition HallLast Thursday was Korea's Memorial Day, and many schools, including mine, added a sandwich day on Friday, so I headed off to visit TB in BJ Wednesday evening. I… Read More
2019-06-12 11:27
Come out of Jianguomen sta Exit C and turn right. Soon you'll see this wall, topped by some ancient naked eye astronomical instruments. The Ancient Observatory dates back to the fifteenth… Read More
2019-05-24 13:41
Many of the valued visitors to my Patch of Seoul have noticed that the quantity of my blogs has decreased over the last few years, but of course, not the quality. My usual answer has been t… Read More
2019-05-16 12:52
My building is called "B One" or sometimes B1 or sometimes in hangeul 비원. Biwon is also the "secret garden" of the emperor located in Changdeokgung, which I blogged about here… Read More
2019-05-05 12:38
I saw this advert on the subway a few days ago, and noticing it was quite near me--four or five stops away on line 9 here in Gangseo-gu--I wondered why I had never heard of it before. Now, I… Read More
2019-05-03 12:34
Today was characterized by perfect early May weather, mild with clear blue skies, just right for Sports Day. At this school, grades only compete against themselves, and the sixth grade has… Read More
2019-04-27 12:31
I've been to a half-dozen FC Seoul games this spring, and finally made it a baseball game on Friday night, along with friend Adam and new friend Ian. This is the Heroes third season in Goche… Read More
2019-04-21 14:08
Life here in the Land of the Morning Calm continues apace. A couple Fridays ago I was roped into being a judge for the Annual Fifth Grade K-Pop Dance Battle. I tried to beg off, but the t… Read More
2019-04-07 11:45
Winter has passed and spring has come, and with it the annual Yeouido Flower Festival, featuring the cherry blossoms, and my annual post about it. The weather has been slow to recognize tha… Read More
2019-03-16 14:05
The thirty-sixth season of the Korean professional soccer league began on March 2nd--FC Seoul played the next day, Sunday, and played pretty well, especially on defense, winning 2 - 0 vs. Po… Read More
2019-02-16 13:54
Friday was Graduation Day at my school--sixth graders get a diploma before going off to middle school in about two weeks. Here are two of my fav students on the stage, where they bow and sh… Read More
2019-01-21 13:54
As mentioned below, I spent my winter break in Thailand, with Bangkok as my starting point. I arrived at Don Mueang Airport on New Years Day. I usually arrive at Suvarnabhumi, where at taxi… Read More
2018-12-25 08:03
Granted not much has been going on here in my Patch of Seoul, but not a year has gone by that I haven't proudly posted a photo of my Christmas Cake, a delightful Korean tradition. To wit: T… Read More
2018-09-18 13:28
I realize most visitors to the Seoul Patch are anxious to peruse photos and commentary on my trip to China, but I am still in the midst of the laborious task of sorting the over 900 pics I t… Read More
2018-09-10 14:41
Well, it isn't exactly, but I threw this together after I had a relatively easy time with the "Can Do Kid" video below. This was a lot more time-consuming, and I can't explain the two bits… Read More
2018-08-30 04:11
I'll have a thorough rundown of my awesome two weeks in China soon, but this week I was back at work, running a summer camp called "Movie Makers." Usually, the students write and film a sho… Read More
2018-08-08 16:41
… Well, good luck! Turns out, I'm going on Saturday, for two weeks. This will be my fourth visit to China, and by far the most difficult and annoying to arrange. Oh, not the hotels… Read More
2018-07-30 15:32
In three weeks, I will have been in Korea for ten years. When I go home, or talk to family, they occasionally raise the question, "When are you coming home?" The easy answer is, "Well, I ju… Read More
2018-07-24 13:07
Of course, Seoul being a very modern place, there are loads of fast food restaurants like KFC (first to blanket the country), Subway (world's largest fast food chain), Burger King, Mickey D'… Read More
2018-07-18 10:57
People between jobs do piecework. They do any number of things, apparently one of them being handing out flyers in front of subway station entrances. As a foreigner, most of these hawkers d… Read More
2018-07-14 13:16
It's easy to see I don't blog very much anymore, and I feel generally that that's because I've pretty much said everything I have to say about living in Seoul. Most posts nowadays are about… Read More
2018-06-01 15:55
Next Wednesday is Korean Memorial Day (6/6), and the Wednesday after that is local election day. Both of these are national holidays, and while of course Memorial Day is a holiday in the US… Read More
2018-05-31 14:55
After a long hiatus, I met up with The Stumbler at our old haunt in Gangseo-gu cheong, at Saemaul Shikdang (New Village Restaurant), for an overdue dinner of grilled pork and soju, Korean-st… Read More
2018-05-21 09:31
I've been meaning to write this post for a while, then at least two people asked me this week-end if I was ever going to resurrect this blog, so here it is. I have written numerous times in… Read More
2018-04-19 07:00
About once a month, the teachers in my office, the 교과실, are allowed to leave campus in the afternoon for a "team-building" experience. I recently posted about our trip… Read More
2018-04-16 06:55
1) Blossoms - if you've come to the Seoul Patch with any regularity, you have seen hundred of flower photos. You're about to see a few more, these from my school, and the hillside directly… Read More
2018-04-12 05:19
Despite the impoverished levels of attention the Seoul Patch receives from Tuttle these days, it would be more than remiss of me to skip the annual Yeouido cherry blossom festival post. The… Read More
2018-03-28 04:48
The folks in my office (the ones who couldn't find an excuse to get out of it, anyway) went on a "team building" activity yesterday afternoon to this art museum in the Magok area, near Yangc… Read More
2018-02-12 12:23
When I went to the US Embassy to collect my new passport, prior to my trip on Wednesday to Cambodia, I noticed that KT (Korea Telecom) had some kind of whiz-bang Pyeongchang Olympics-related… Read More
2017-04-22 11:19
I met The Stumbler for lunch today at Sindorim. Sindorim, for the uninitiated, is the location of one of Seoul's busiest subway stations, on one end of which is TechnoMart, a ten story mall… Read More
2017-04-09 11:28
There are only so many good photo ops at the Cherry Blossom Festival, so I have used this one virtually every year--it has cherry blossoms, the Han River and the Seoul skyline. Of course, t… Read More
2017-03-30 12:31
Tomorrow is Korean baseball's Opening Day, so today is a good time to post some flower photos. Every year I've been here, this has been an obligatory post in late March, starting with 2009… Read More
2017-03-19 14:04
The Mekong River originates in China, runs through the middle of Laos, then along the border of Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, through the middle of Cambodia, and finally enters the South Chin… Read More
2017-03-18 14:53
I did a cooking class today [Dec. 31, 2016] at Bamboo Tree which began at 9:00, with 14 students. The first two hours involved signing in, waiting then traveling across town to the large we… Read More
2017-03-15 12:45
Temples, Buddhist, Catholic, Hindu, whatever, are usually beautiful examples of human craftmanship. They are also a window into humans' ability to deceive themselves. Case in point, "That… Read More
2017-03-14 15:51
My Laos trip coincided with the Christmas and New Year holiday. In my last post, I mentioned the grueling trip north from Vientiane, but my arrival in Luang Prabang, the ancient capital of L… Read More
2017-03-14 13:32
Taxi from the airport was 57,000 Kip, about 7 USD. Immediately prior to that, though, I made the stupidest mistake I've ever made in my travels. I made sure to count my money at the currenc… Read More
2017-03-05 10:22
I stayed in my old apartment--room--for six months, which is four months too long. Though I liked the school and the colleagues, and felt very welcome there, there was virtually nothing I l… Read More
2017-01-18 12:19
Downtown was in town this weekend on a visa run. We met up in Itaewon for a late lunch and a brief pub crawl before making our way to Bongcheon for lamb and makgeolli, and then a taxi ride… Read More
2016-11-27 14:21
It snowed yesterday, the first snow of the season--at first some flurries, then later with greater volume. It didn't stick, but it did slush a bit. This is the view from my window: The snow… Read More
2016-11-09 14:37
Despite whatever has happened in the last day (about which, let me just say, we will some day become greater than this), I am determined to carry on. Along the lines of my last post--a look… Read More
2016-11-03 09:52
Sadly, not my new apartment, though hopefully there will be some movement on that issue soon. No, that is the name of the current unit in fifth grade, and gave me a chance to show my creati… Read More
2016-10-20 11:51
Not much. Little in the way of news; I'm getting along pretty well at my new school, the co-teachers are always vocally impressed with my materials, and I have to admit I'm hitting them wit… Read More
2016-10-03 09:21
This park is a tomb park where the corpses of patriotic forefathers are laid. It was where the tomb of Prince Munhyo (King Jeongjo's eldest son at the end of the Joseon) was placed and was o… Read More
2016-09-19 12:10
Finally got another FC Seoul game--first time since Foreigner Day--only to find that they've brought back the "Fun Park", only now it's the Food Park. I had the garlic beef mok-sal from the… Read More
2016-09-15 13:16
Ventured forth to Gocheok Skydome today with pal The Stumbler to watch the Heroes meet the KT Wiz. The start was inauspicious, and I'm not only referring to the Wiz taking a 6 - nil lead in… Read More
2016-08-31 13:00
While I became well-respected at the school I have just left, my early days there were less than promising; for example, my welcoming hwesik (roughly, business dinner) was about two weeks in… Read More
2016-08-28 12:17
I took up residence this week in a postage stamp of a place at Hyochang Park, immediately adjacent to Sookmyung Women's University. So far, my new school seems great (stay tuned for more la… Read More
2016-07-31 11:34
My Summer Camps this time are Toys and Games Around the World for grades 3 and 4, and The Bean's English for older students. On Tuesday, we learned about and held our own Scottish Highland G… Read More
2016-07-29 17:27
Full disclosure: My school has had a "Science Festival" every year, an event which I am totally in favor of, which led me to wish for an "English Festival". My new co-teacher Nicky, without… Read More
2016-07-21 11:49
I mentioned previously that I will be transferred to a new school for my next contract, and this was the last week of classes for the semester (two weeks of camp starting Monday). So, in ad… Read More
2016-07-16 18:18
Come out of Sadang station Exit 5, and turn right. Then take the first left. 왕건이고기집, wang geon e gogi jib, is a shoebox of a place, but it offers… Read More
2016-07-16 10:49
장마 (jangma) is here. Jangma is the East Asian Monsoon, which typically arrives in Korea in mid-June, moving north to hit Seoul around a month later. The last few years we have… Read More
2016-07-15 00:39
...a poster on waygook.org, that is. This is the best website for sharing (and stealing) teaching materials for ESL especially in Korea, but really anywhere. I joined when I moved to eleme… Read More
2016-06-26 11:48
Had a snack with The Stumbler this afternoon to catch up on his USA trip and daughter's wedding--it all sounds like it was lovely--in the Beer King at the Sinjeongnegeori area. Since the s… Read More
2016-06-24 14:27
This is a lesson called "Sentence Relay", somewhat like a "running dictation" activity. Here's how it works: Each team's members take turns being "the runner" (one at a time) while the othe… Read More
2016-06-21 15:54
Please don't tell the kids at my school, but I won't, according to my handler, be returning there upon the new contract--the school I've been at for four years is losing its Native Speaking… Read More
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