Culture in a Bottle

Alas, the work week is over, two full days for myself- this is how I used to feel about the weekends but something has changed. Perhaps I've got the metaphorical teaching bug. Or maybe I've transformed into one of the "real people" I used to watch happily strolling home from a long day of work, content with some dinner, maybe a TV program and bed. Not that my Monday through Friday is uneventful, it's anything but. Still, I'm jarred by this realization that I almost prefer the weekdays. Well, not totally. The weekends are my chance to learn Korean culture. Last Tuesday night (we had Wednesday off for children's day) I went out with my boss, Smith and his friend Park, a well-to-do man with Smith's same job at another Hagwan. I was immediately drawn into his personality. The kind of man who could sit and hold twenty peoples' attention with his stories. Turns out he used to be a radio show host of some sort; I was not surprised. He seemed to like me too and began confiding immediately. This was also brought on by the traditional Korean rice liquor (Mokoli) he was drinking at a frantic pace. He gave a speech about how Smith is his brother (not literally) and how he taught Smith English and his love for my boss. It was touching. They have an interesting dynamic; Smith also refers to Park as his brother, and they have mutual respect but Smith will always defer to Park. Partly because Park is older and his teacher, but it was strange watching two older men behave the way a young boy and his slightly older brother might. After everyone was comfortably numb, we all followed Park to a Korean night club. Some might not believe this but, when looking for Korean culture, the best way to find it is usually in the bars. I've never seen so many bars in my life. Every street has at least 10 drinking establishments of some kind- an alcoholics' playground. We paid 10,000 (1o dollars) a piece to enter the night club. I'd never seen anything like this. The place was enormous, mirrors in every direction, 100s of intimate type couches and a large stage with a dance floor in front. I noticed immediately that, as if my nationality wasn't enough, I was out of place here due to my age. Everyone must have been 3o or older. The club had a sleazy, 70s style feel. It reminded me of the night club in "Scarface." A band played some silly 70s pop songs. I couldn't help but laugh when they cranked into a Korean rendition of "It's Raining Men." Watching the dancers made me feel the same way watching older folks dancing in America does: partly embarrassed for them, but also sentimental, happy that they still know how to have fun. We stayed for about two hours, but the music was much too loud to talk, and, with this Korean celebrity (Park) in our company, that's all I wanted to do. He kept pushing me to join Smith and my roommate Chris on the dance floor, but I told him it's not my scene. Eventually, realizing the futility of conversation in this joint, I told him I'd dance if he would. He complied and we joined the awkward masses. Park hardly moved, just watched me laughing and clapping. I was happy when we left the place. Park asked me if I'd like to join him in some bar-hopping. At this point I concluded that he must be in his forties but he didn't look much older than 30. We went to a Korean casino and watched Park play the slot machines. They differ from American ones because you just put in a huge sum (he played 20,000) at a time and the machine plays continuously; no pulling of the lever. I thought that was a rip-off. When I play the slots, I enjoy pulling the lever, thinking any slight deviation in power might be the key to victory. After a while it became apparent that he was going to lose money. The rest of us were just watching him and, as his money dwindled, I could tell he was getting angry about it. Finally, as his money was nearly out, he asked us all to leave him alone, saying he would meet us out in a downtown bar (Watermelon Sugar). Chris and I went there, had a fantastic time not talking to anyone but Park never arrived. I wasn't upset about it, but a little disappointed. Then, yesterday, Smith handed me his cell phone and it was Park. He apologized for not meeting us out and said he really liked me and would enjoy going out with me again. Perfect. Drinking in Korea is fun, but I can hardly defend the educational value of it without an older Korean drinking buddy. And now, I think I've found one and he's a star!