Failure/Guitar Gods Unite!

My epic failure is echoing through the streets of Korea as I type this, passing from mouth to ear like wildfire. The story is growing in magnitude every time it is told. By the time it reaches Seoul, it will consist of me being struck by lightning and a kimchi fight that got out of hand. I am probably just overreacting.

Today, I was under the impression that I would have no classes because the children would be testing. Well, they did test, but the third graders ended early, so at 11:30, my classroom was flooded with them. This was my first batch of this new type of bugger, so it caught me quite off guard. I followed my co-teacher's lead though, because she usually has her stuff in order. We would be doing...(dum dum dum) the first textbook lesson.

We did our standard introductions. When I got to mine, I went through my powerpoint, but the class was a little rowdy. I realized it was because they couldn't understand me because they're third graders and this was their first English class ever. My co-teacher took over at this point and for the rest of the class I just stood there in a corner looking like a dufus. It hit me kind of hard how unprepared I was for something like that happening, but my co-teacher saved the day. Kudos to her for being prepared for a surprise class and knowing Korean. I must admit it ruined my fried fish and rice lunch.

After lunch, we had our standard "tea time" in the P.E. room. I was quieter than usual, still lamenting on my failure the class period before. The jokester teacher of the school was in there, a pretty funny guy considering the language barrier, and he determined that it was time to test my skills at volleyball. Volleyballs appeared out of nowhere (well, I guess it is a P.E. room), and before I knew it I was out in the courtyard hitting and setting a volleyball with four other male teachers. The kids started gathering around, wanting to see the way a wae-gook plays barry barr, so we took it into the gym to let them get back to their rigorous studies. That gym is ancient by Korean standards. I was told it's about 100 years old. Anything that survived the Korean war is something to be cherished as National Treasure #whatever on this peninsula.

When I either passed or failed their volleyball ability test, we began playing some version of volleyball that you play with your feet instead of your hands. It was actually pretty fun, but since I come from Amurrica I never really gave a crap about or played soccer, so I was pretty terrible. Even though whatever incarnation of team I was on lost, I still broke a good sweat and it lifted my spirits immensely. Funny how an hour of physical activity does things like that. Endorphin rush, folks! Maybe it's because I secretly knew I was getting paid to play soccer/volleyball.

The rest of the afternoon was spent between Facebook and going over tomorrow's lesson plan so that I didn't feel like such a loser. It's nice to go over this stuff with my co-teacher, developing a level of communication that I didn't really feel was there prior to a few hours ago. I feel more confident now and will hopefully be able to actually lead a class at anything productive. I'll let you know, of course. What else do I have to do after work? Play the accordion? Psh, that's for wussies....wussies like me.

Speaking of musical instruments, last night a friend and I hit up music street to do some more "eye shopping" for when we get our first paychecks. That place is great. I actually sat and played guitar for the first time in a couple of months. I haven't lost all my ability, but the callus is definitely gone and I couldn't play for too long before "I got blisters on me fingers!" Apparently, the Koreans make decent acoustic guitars, too. I played this Crafter that was actually pretty nice and was modestly priced at $450. I know what you're thinking. Either, "I've never heard of that brand. Must be crap," or "Crafters suck. Get a [insert your favorite brand here]." Well, if you have heard of Crafter, I want to let you know that the Koreans make a different Crafter that they don't make in the U.S. It's the same company, but different guitars. Decent guitars ranging from a few hundred bucks to over a thousand. If you haven't heard of Crafter, which I hadn't, then don't bother looking into it. You're not in Korea so you wouldn't understand the terroir here.

I was also eyeing this bad ass looking Telecaster in another shop. You know, the one the Boss is holding on the cover of Born to Run. Getting a Fender here is a bit of a task though. If it's not a Japanese Fender, then it's American and it's expensive. I don't know what I'm gonna do in the electric guitar department yet. I really want it, but it looks like I'm going to have to pay for it. I guess that's why I'm making bank with virtually no expenses, right? I can stand to drop a grand on an ax and not be feeling the burn for the next six months. Give it time, children. Give it time. I'm going to sleep on it until I get that paycheck, and if I still can't live without it, I'll go in that shop, demand to play it on 11, and if it speaks to me on a visceral level I'll buy it right then and there. If not, I'll leave it and never return.

Just don't let me drop my whole paycheck on guitars. I do need to eat, after all. On the other hand, I definitely feel the need to grind out some tunage. The urge is burning. What do you think? I'm asking you, avid subscriber, for advice on what to do about my future guitar purchase, a matter that you obviously know nothing about. But you're probably American, so you should feel no qualms with speaking straight out of your ass, right? Leave me some love!