Good-bye Gwangyang – Korea
14 Jun
City of Gwangyang from my balcony - Korea
1:10AM: I have refrained from visiting a massage parlor – at least til tomorrow – even thru this is the end of my time in Gwangyang; rather, I now drink red wine alone, and reflect.
It’s been weird. It’s been great. It was quiet. It was nice. It was sometimes rather lonely. BUT it was quite okay … And now, within days, my last day of teaching is tomorrow, I hit the road proper again (first a 4-day stopover in Tokyo before hitting Central America, starting in Mexico City.)
My experience of Gwangyang was foremost as a teacher of English at two elementary schools – and one group of students and teachers I’ve already said, Good-bye. The final act is on Monday, at my main host school. The experience taught me, much.
How loving and wonderful, funny and crazy and cute, and a few times – quite-maddening, children can be and as a single man, approaching 43, and with no family or partner or kids it was such a wonderful insight into parenthood and the simple beauty of life, growing, and existence.
Mostly, the children, age 9 – 12, were very into my classes and were always greeting me either in the school grounds or the streets. Calling out “Myyy Call”. I was popular. And it was good to teach the kids and have some fun as I had no other constant social contacts the entire year (small chats with Korean teachers, shop assistants, massage women, and the odd stranger, aside).
It was a very quiet year. The year I proved to myself I could be a monk, a recluse, or a content loner.
But I did set out to follow … this path.
I wanted to be mostly alone, to rest from the road and the world, to try and sort out my monster backlog of 20+ years of travel archive – stories, photos, videos, and art all digitally stored, but largely, this blog / website aside, I have failed. Simply, there is too much to do and one year on it part-time was insufficient (even if I was a mad, workaholic recluse) .
Essentially, I was in a bubble.
Few emails. No friends. No women – sex with massage women aside, not even any laughter or chat over most of the year. The entire winter months, furthered by the fact that I didn’t see, talk, or even leave the apartment for a crazy 2 weeks over the January school break. I was totally alone; and the few foreigners here I had no connection with. So I drank heavily, worked on my travel / art projects, and later traveled the winter insanity away.
It was a fine time starting in Fall last year when I met and kinda-fell-in-love, via my YouTube site, for she contacted me as a commenter, with a wonderful, intelligent, very beautiful – she sent me pics – and independent-thinking, young Yemeni cyber-woman: Maha, 23, working in Oman, university-educated in Jordan.
Over the months we spent many hours cyber-chatting about, nearly everything. It was one of the highlights of my year (and we are still good friends). Another high was more great travels around Korea ( Andong, Heinsa, the East Coast – Sinnan, and then Tongyeong and hopping around the amazing southern islands of Yokjido, Yeonhwado, etc ). The other highlight was my happy, energetic students (who often lifted me from dark moods … my post here was amid such a patch … but since then, over 8 months ago, I’ve moved apartments and life has picked up as my sense of purpose and solitude became clear and accepted and it helped having a new apartment with such an awesome view – EG: this post’s city-bay vista photo, taken from my balcony).
Simply, the experience has been weird and wonderful … but not to be repeated too soon as I’m always looking for new experiences as a wanderer, a traveler, a free man, a recluse, sometimes a party animal; someone who’s always seeking the crazy freedoms of the endless road …
So to you, my sunny, tranquil Gwangyang, especially my happy students and nice Korean co-teachers and off course, the kind massage ladies, I say Gamsa Hamnida – Thank you & Good-bye – Annyeong-he kay-say-yo.
[ PS: In a recent, regional school English-speaking contest of 48 participants, students from my schools were placed 1st & 4th. It was solely their talent, but a nice kick-back for me and the schools. ]
[ PPS: It's now Monday evening - 7:51pm, and I've said Good-bye to everyone at my other school ... I have Soju, in my hand, the view outside is darkening ... Good-bye - Gwangyang ! ]
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So long ole’ buddy! Too bad I didn’t get to see you much. I was on the road a lot.
Hola Steve.
Greetings from the beaches of the Pacific coast here in Mexico, where it´s baking hot like Gwangyang in Summer; time for yet more beer (and tequila).
Enjoy Korea – Regards MRP
Your writing is insperational. I have dreamed of giving up my material possesions and starting a new life, meeting new people and being introduced to new ways of living and thinking. I honestly think that if it wasnt for your website I wouldnt have the courage to pack my shit and travel to were the road takes me.
Thank you for your great site and art.
Hola Eric
Greetings from Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.
Thanks for the kind words; glad I have inspired you … I hope the road takes you everywhere you please … ENJOY
Regards – Michael
Hi, I am in Gwang Yang, how much does it normally cost to get a massage in Gwang Yang… not done it yet in korea… thanks!
Hi, Greetings from Guatemala
Costs of massage about 60 – 70,000 won for an hour, usually including some sexy extras. Read about it here: http://www.thecandytrail.com/blog/2008/12/25/sexy-massage-korea/
Enjoy !!!