Curtain

2005 was a reasonable year but no-one can say it went at anything like a normal speed. Now we had a baby round the house, which kept getting bigger and more mobile, and not-so-subtly demanded adulthood out of us. Gone was all that personal development mullarkey, socialising, and what have you; and in its place was working harder and longer to make more money for the bigger family. And who can you complain to about it? Complain about the impact your baby has on your life and the world thinks you're all out of order! So you just PLOD ON~~!!^^ And to think there I was on New Year's Eve clinking glasses and talking about getting the work-life balance right this time: HA!

JANUARY

It's cold. Eun Jung is still in Daegu with Jerome recuperating from the childbirth. So most of the time I'm in our apartment huddled next to the electric heater, and on Skype, which I have just discovered. At one point I decide the apartment is too cold, and it would be better to go and spend the really cold nights in our local jjimjilbang, so I go and enrol with 10 coupons. First night though, all I can hear is snoring, so I come home with 9 coupons in my hand thinking SHIT.

Actually, calling a spade a spade, when it comes down to it, all I am is this foreign guy living by himself up some freezing cold mountain on the other side of the world.

The month passes like this ~ in and out of Dong-A and also Nike, plus working on my MEd until near the end, when Eun Jung comes back with Jerome. Obviously it was nice to have 'em back. We went off up to Sebaldo's flat for a baby shower they threw for us ~ very nice of 'em. Most of the REAL BUSAN boyz came up and even coughed up presents for Jerome ~ splendid.

Here's a photo of me in our flat next to a wall, wearing a hat. Obviously the insulation needs sorting out.

FEBRUARY

Go to Japan for 5 days with Tim Burke, then come back and work on the MEd all day every day. Get a B.

The trip was really fun, day on day. We went to Fukuoka, Beppu, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, and Fukuoka again ~ I'd do that trip again in a heartbeat, 'cause it was cool. Japan is cool ~ I rate the place really highly, so thanks to Japan for being itself, and to Tim for being an interesting travel companion, finally getting himself hit on the head with a glass bottle in a nightclub on the last night for his troubles.

Listening to The Streets + Mark Eitzel a lot on MP3.

Here is Tim Burke next to an outdoor spa in Beppu.

MARCH

Start Dong-A again, working just in Gudeok campus, and mostly teaching art & music majors. I'm loving it ~ selling DETECTIVE CHA to each and every one of 'em ~ that's me, plus Laura, Barney & Damien, each of whom I love so much right now. Selling your book, walking around your class and noticing every single one of 'em bought it and studies from it ~ pride man, pride.

Meanwhile Real Busan are playing good football as well. Now we have Jeff Rottmeyer onboard, on an unnecessarily acrimonious transfer from Inter Busan. Decent times; I'm enjoying life.

And here is a picture of Jerome at 100 days.

APRIL

Much like the last month, everythingwise, except life has a habit of twisting and turning on you at least a bit ~ especially when things are all rosy.

My early semester zing at Dong-A takes a blow as I have a week off sick, lying on the floor in agony barely able to move. Meanwhile a managerless Real Busan take on DMZ and fail to address how their opponents have collaborated with another side, PSV, and fielded an excellent ringer from them, who inspires DMZ to victory. In the subsequent managers' meeting, all managers gang up on Real and vote that this is OK ~ and this ultimately costs Real this season's title, despite beating the eventual winners, Daegu, both home and away. That's the way it is in our Teachers' League!

Went up to Seoul on an expensive passport trip. Had a laugh. Stayed with Daniel Hark.

Here is Gyeong-Min of Nike, my ally there ~ she used to be the receptionist, and thanks to my championing of her in class to HR, they hired her as a trainee developer ~ splendid story! Now she looks all hard core, modelling my Detective Cha book with some serious look in the eye like she read and loved the book, but she probably never read a word.

MAY

The month flies by on me, just mostly going to Dong-A and Nike, plus studying for my MEd.

Real Busan fails to win the league, and the title goes to Daegu. But it was politics that did it. Real are sick! So openly ripped off, and now the managers have no trust going ~ not a good sign. That's people for you ~ one way or another, they'll thwart you in the end!

Privately, I'm working harder than last year. But Jerome is lovely.

Here is a photo of Eun Jung carrying him, looking a bit ragged! For each of us, this look is becoming normal.

JUNE

Jeff leaves Korea and heads to Hong Kong, but throws an excellent party while he's at it.

It's moving into summer now, so I can be found drinking here and there ~ especially as Eun Jung went to Daegu again for a bit; something she did again and again all year. Needs mum's care!

I quit Nike after about one and a half years, and move to Doosan Heavy, another Business English gang, travelling in a car up there every day with a severely polite guy called Chris from the States. Mostly though, I'm dreaming of Tottenham Hotspur and their pending trip to Korea. How can I make money form it?! I create a Peace Cup tour, advertise it, make a website for it, but no-one booked, so it looks like it's just me like. I even go to Gyeongju to sort out motels for it ~ what a waste!

Real Busan gets a new, white uniform, and finally dress like Real Madrid, and not Inter Milan. Up to this point, Real Busan dressed like Inter Milan, and extending the madness, Inter Busan dressed like Real Madrid. So now we look like we sound. Whatever Inter want to wear, it's up to them. Actually, our general policy now is screw Inter, and everyone ~ they are trying to vote the title off us. No-one likes us & we don't care ~ we love ourselves. (Which is why no-one likes us!)

Here's me in Homeplus, the day Eun Jung came back from Daegu.

JULY

Spurs come to Korea, play great, and win the Peace Cup ~ magic. I do a tour after all ~ I get two guests, which is enough to see the whole cup, running up and down the country in the process and still be up on the deal ~ I'm such a Yid!

Here are the games:

Spurs 2 Boca Juniors 2

Spurs 3 Sundowns 1

Spurs 1 Real Sociedad 1

And the final, in the Seoul World Cup Stadium (pictured left):

Spurs 3 Lyon 1

Get in there! Must admit though, it was funny seeing Ledley lifting the cup, which was nice enough but ultimately didn't mean anything.

As for my guests, they were a bit different: a mother and daughter, English, both living in Dubai and rolling in it, and Spurs season ticket holders. Think about it. They travel from Dubai to every home game; what a life...

Apart from that, Real Busan throw a party ~ REALFEST ~ a super fundraiser which despite everyone getting pissed out of their heads, never raised all that money. Silly. Still, it's a jolly summer in Pusan.

AUGUST

It's hot. I'm working my arse off as well, this time I've left Doosan Heavy and moved to Hutchison, based in 5-Port, just out of curiosity to work for a foreign company in Pusan. I got an OK contract but looking back, I needn't have bothered, the place really wasn't all that. Which is me being overly nice about it.

Real Busan's fortunes are up and down. We have a disastrous start to the summer league due to most of our guys being out of town, but rally to win all our last 5 games ~ yet DMZ clinch the title by a point ~ DMZ! Who now are emerging as a bit of a team, and honestly are a match for us now. But footy in the summer can be really interesting, it springs the best stories, and best drinking sessions after, most notably this time I guess was me, Gino & Pete drinking for hours after a moksal ~ invited Pete to be Jerome's godfather, which he is up for.

Here is me at home, trying to work on my MEd while Jerome distracts me. Looks busy doesn't he ~ I tell you, it's like that all the time..

SEPTEMBER

Life becomes more and more of a mad dash. Plus I'm finding study at home hard ~ I had to get an extension to my MEd assignment until the end of this month because, well, Jerome. Get a B though, which I'm satisfied with.

Real Busan are pictured left, on a good day in Yangsan. Left to right back row, we are Scott Jolly, me, Jan Guzik, Kyle Murray, Jay Crewe, Luscious Delicious, Marcelo Gortari; front row left, it's Tiger, Gino Nini, Yoo Se-Jong, Gerry McGurk, Solomon Quaye, Bruno Civera, and Timmy O'Donnell. Famous gang! But despite this, and despite the lovely weather, we are struggling with numbers, and drop points because of this, ultimately costing us another title down the line. It's hard, managing this footy team for success.

At least we have a lovely baby though, Jerome is a revelation, everyone loves him.

OCTOBER

Nicest month of the year, this; PIFF came and went, I saw shitloads of films, as usual; went to Seoul at great expense just to get Jerome's UK passport ~ what a rip-off.

Work is a bit blah, I'm kind of regretting working at Hutchison as it's a bit of a graveyard in there, although they do take me (and Pete Reeves) out for an unforgettable night on the drink.

Here's me in Krispy Kreme Donuts in Sinchon, Seoul, talking to Jerome. Sinchon has developed almost beyond recognition over the last ten years. As for KK Donuts, they do a nice line of t-shirts and I almost bought one until I realised that if you have a bit of a tummy, and you wear a t-shirt with DONUTS written on it, it tells the whole story. Makes you look like a right loser. So I just bought the donuts...

NOVEMBER

Getting a bit cold. Actually little going on but the work, the study, the football, and the running around ~ I don't know it at the time but this isn't just temporary.

Real Busan, with a talented but tiny squad, lost the title to DMZ, who have merged with Changwon and are all gung-ho about being good now. They clinch it with a 2-0 win against Real in Gimhae in this super game which Real actually dominated from start to end yet contrived to lose 2-0, the winner being a 35 yard drive by their resident accountant and co-organiser David Greene, who had never previously even found a teammate with a pass. You wouldn't have made it up. Except if you were David Greene.

I'm happy anyway, because Mum is coming out. She came out right at the end of the month, in fact. Almost 6 weeks. Great, really. That time coincided with quitting Hutchison, the view from which is pictured left ~ thank GOD I'm out of there though, most bitter and twisted place I can remember working in years.

Threw a very nice party for Jerome's 1st birthday ~ his DOL party. According to Korean tradition, he will work with computers ~ he "chose the mouse". Better a programmer than a data entry clerk..

DECEMBER

Hooray Mum is here! Here we all are, pictured left, on Xmas Day at the Marriott. She is great with Jerome, and they love each other sincerely.

Freezing cold. Worked at MLS in the evenings. Really interesting, but one month is all you could ever do there. Awful pay, best co-workers.

And there you have it. That work-life balance never quite happened for me. But the footy was an ever-unfolding story with good relationships, tension, and interesting memories. And Jerome doesn't just exist: he's 1 year old already!

	JANUARY It's cold. Eun Jung is still in Daegu with Jerome recuperating from the childbirth. So most of the time I'm in our apartment huddled next to the electric heater, and on Skype, which I have just discovered. At one point I decide the apartment is too cold, and it would be better to go and spend the really cold nights in our local jjimjilbang, so I go and enrol with 10 coupons. First night though, all I can hear is snoring, so I come home with 9 coupons in my hand thinking SHIT. Actually, calling a spade a spade, when it comes down to it, all I am is this foreign guy living by himself up some freezing cold mountain on the other side of the world. The month passes like this ~ in and out of Dong-A and also Nike, plus working on my MEd until near the end, when Eun Jung comes back with Jerome. Obviously it was nice to have 'em back. We went off up to Sebaldo's flat for a baby shower they threw for us ~ very nice of 'em. Most of the REAL BUSAN boyz came up and even coughed up presents for Jerome ~ splendid. Here's a photo of me in our flat next to a wall, wearing a hat. Obviously the insulation needs sorting out.
	FEBRUARY Go to Japan for 5 days with Tim Burke, then come back and work on the MEd all day every day. Get a B. The trip was really fun, day on day. We went to Fukuoka, Beppu, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, and Fukuoka again ~ I'd do that trip again in a heartbeat, 'cause it was cool. Japan is cool ~ I rate the place really highly, so thanks to Japan for being itself, and to Tim for being an interesting travel companion, finally getting himself hit on the head with a glass bottle in a nightclub on the last night for his troubles. Listening to The Streets + Mark Eitzel a lot on MP3. Here is Tim Burke next to an outdoor spa in Beppu.
	MARCH Start Dong-A again, working just in Gudeok campus, and mostly teaching art & music majors. I'm loving it ~ selling DETECTIVE CHA to each and every one of 'em ~ that's me, plus Laura, Barney & Damien, each of whom I love so much right now. Selling your book, walking around your class and noticing every single one of 'em bought it and studies from it ~ pride man, pride. Meanwhile Real Busan are playing good football as well. Now we have Jeff Rottmeyer onboard, on an unnecessarily acrimonious transfer from Inter Busan. Decent times; I'm enjoying life. And here is a picture of Jerome at 100 days.
	APRIL Much like the last month, everythingwise, except life has a habit of twisting and turning on you at least a bit ~ especially when things are all rosy. My early semester zing at Dong-A takes a blow as I have a week off sick, lying on the floor in agony barely able to move. Meanwhile a managerless Real Busan take on DMZ and fail to address how their opponents have collaborated with another side, PSV, and fielded an excellent ringer from them, who inspires DMZ to victory. In the subsequent managers' meeting, all managers gang up on Real and vote that this is OK ~ and this ultimately costs Real this season's title, despite beating the eventual winners, Daegu, both home and away. That's the way it is in our Teachers' League! Went up to Seoul on an expensive passport trip. Had a laugh. Stayed with Daniel Hark. Here is Gyeong-Min of Nike, my ally there ~ she used to be the receptionist, and thanks to my championing of her in class to HR, they hired her as a trainee developer ~ splendid story! Now she looks all hard core, modelling my Detective Cha book with some serious look in the eye like she read and loved the book, but she probably never read a word.
	MAY The month flies by on me, just mostly going to Dong-A and Nike, plus studying for my MEd. Real Busan fails to win the league, and the title goes to Daegu. But it was politics that did it. Real are sick! So openly ripped off, and now the managers have no trust going ~ not a good sign. That's people for you ~ one way or another, they'll thwart you in the end! Privately, I'm working harder than last year. But Jerome is lovely. Here is a photo of Eun Jung carrying him, looking a bit ragged! For each of us, this look is becoming normal.
	JUNE Jeff leaves Korea and heads to Hong Kong, but throws an excellent party while he's at it. It's moving into summer now, so I can be found drinking here and there ~ especially as Eun Jung went to Daegu again for a bit; something she did again and again all year. Needs mum's care! I quit Nike after about one and a half years, and move to Doosan Heavy, another Business English gang, travelling in a car up there every day with a severely polite guy called Chris from the States. Mostly though, I'm dreaming of Tottenham Hotspur and their pending trip to Korea. How can I make money form it?! I create a Peace Cup tour, advertise it, make a website for it, but no-one booked, so it looks like it's just me like. I even go to Gyeongju to sort out motels for it ~ what a waste! Real Busan gets a new, white uniform, and finally dress like Real Madrid, and not Inter Milan. Up to this point, Real Busan dressed like Inter Milan, and extending the madness, Inter Busan dressed like Real Madrid. So now we look like we sound. Whatever Inter want to wear, it's up to them. Actually, our general policy now is screw Inter, and everyone ~ they are trying to vote the title off us. No-one likes us & we don't care ~ we love ourselves. (Which is why no-one likes us!) Here's me in Homeplus, the day Eun Jung came back from Daegu.
	JULY Spurs come to Korea, play great, and win the Peace Cup ~ magic. I do a tour after all ~ I get two guests, which is enough to see the whole cup, running up and down the country in the process and still be up on the deal ~ I'm such a Yid! Here are the games: Spurs 2 Boca Juniors 2 Spurs 3 Sundowns 1 Spurs 1 Real Sociedad 1 And the final, in the Seoul World Cup Stadium (pictured left): Spurs 3 Lyon 1 Get in there! Must admit though, it was funny seeing Ledley lifting the cup, which was nice enough but ultimately didn't mean anything. As for my guests, they were a bit different: a mother and daughter, English, both living in Dubai and rolling in it, and Spurs season ticket holders. Think about it. They travel from Dubai to every home game; what a life... Apart from that, Real Busan throw a party ~ REALFEST ~ a super fundraiser which despite everyone getting pissed out of their heads, never raised all that money. Silly. Still, it's a jolly summer in Pusan.
	AUGUST It's hot. I'm working my arse off as well, this time I've left Doosan Heavy and moved to Hutchison, based in 5-Port, just out of curiosity to work for a foreign company in Pusan. I got an OK contract but looking back, I needn't have bothered, the place really wasn't all that. Which is me being overly nice about it. Real Busan's fortunes are up and down. We have a disastrous start to the summer league due to most of our guys being out of town, but rally to win all our last 5 games ~ yet DMZ clinch the title by a point ~ DMZ! Who now are emerging as a bit of a team, and honestly are a match for us now. But footy in the summer can be really interesting, it springs the best stories, and best drinking sessions after, most notably this time I guess was me, Gino & Pete drinking for hours after a moksal ~ invited Pete to be Jerome's godfather, which he is up for. Here is me at home, trying to work on my MEd while Jerome distracts me. Looks busy doesn't he ~ I tell you, it's like that all the time..
	SEPTEMBER Life becomes more and more of a mad dash. Plus I'm finding study at home hard ~ I had to get an extension to my MEd assignment until the end of this month because, well, Jerome. Get a B though, which I'm satisfied with. Real Busan are pictured left, on a good day in Yangsan. Left to right back row, we are Scott Jolly, me, Jan Guzik, Kyle Murray, Jay Crewe, Luscious Delicious, Marcelo Gortari; front row left, it's Tiger, Gino Nini, Yoo Se-Jong, Gerry McGurk, Solomon Quaye, Bruno Civera, and Timmy O'Donnell. Famous gang! But despite this, and despite the lovely weather, we are struggling with numbers, and drop points because of this, ultimately costing us another title down the line. It's hard, managing this footy team for success. At least we have a lovely baby though, Jerome is a revelation, everyone loves him.
	OCTOBER Nicest month of the year, this; PIFF came and went, I saw shitloads of films, as usual; went to Seoul at great expense just to get Jerome's UK passport ~ what a rip-off. Work is a bit blah, I'm kind of regretting working at Hutchison as it's a bit of a graveyard in there, although they do take me (and Pete Reeves) out for an unforgettable night on the drink. Here's me in Krispy Kreme Donuts in Sinchon, Seoul, talking to Jerome. Sinchon has developed almost beyond recognition over the last ten years. As for KK Donuts, they do a nice line of t-shirts and I almost bought one until I realised that if you have a bit of a tummy, and you wear a t-shirt with DONUTS written on it, it tells the whole story. Makes you look like a right loser. So I just bought the donuts...
	NOVEMBER Getting a bit cold. Actually little going on but the work, the study, the football, and the running around ~ I don't know it at the time but this isn't just temporary. Real Busan, with a talented but tiny squad, lost the title to DMZ, who have merged with Changwon and are all gung-ho about being good now. They clinch it with a 2-0 win against Real in Gimhae in this super game which Real actually dominated from start to end yet contrived to lose 2-0, the winner being a 35 yard drive by their resident accountant and co-organiser David Greene, who had never previously even found a teammate with a pass. You wouldn't have made it up. Except if you were David Greene. I'm happy anyway, because Mum is coming out. She came out right at the end of the month, in fact. Almost 6 weeks. Great, really. That time coincided with quitting Hutchison, the view from which is pictured left ~ thank GOD I'm out of there though, most bitter and twisted place I can remember working in years. Threw a very nice party for Jerome's 1st birthday ~ his DOL party. According to Korean tradition, he will work with computers ~ he "chose the mouse". Better a programmer than a data entry clerk..
	DECEMBER Hooray Mum is here! Here we all are, pictured left, on Xmas Day at the Marriott. She is great with Jerome, and they love each other sincerely. Freezing cold. Worked at MLS in the evenings. Really interesting, but one month is all you could ever do there. Awful pay, best co-workers.

korea 2005 ~ bit fast