An Extraordinary Week

Tuesday 15th May: Teacher's Day

Some of my wonderful cards

Strawberry jam from Julie

I can't quite put into words how much my students mean to me. I've been working with kids for a long time. Over the years, I've met a lot of amazing kids and I have kept in touch with many of them.

Nonetheless, the kids I have taught for the last nine and a half months are in a class (no pun intended) by themselves. I have learnt so much from them. My time at Maple Bear hasn't always been easy, but these incredible children have left an indelible mark on my heart. I will never forget them!

Flowers from Yeon-Soo

They showered me with love on Teacher's Day. I got lots of hugs and beautiful flowers and even homemade jam! But... the cards were the best part! I will always cherish the cards that these kids made for me. Some of their words even brought me to tears.

This one made me cry!

The 15th of May also happens to be my mom's birthday -- 81 years old this year -- and she continues to amaze me. I called her when I got home from work and told her how special my day had been. This made her happy.

Wednesday 16th May: A Very Meaningful Day

I will never forget this day! I awoke to the exciting news that my piece on the Morrissey concert had been published (by the amazing Kitty Amsbry) on the one and only Andy Taylor's remarkable website ANDYTAYLOR.TV. I cannot begin to express how much this means to me. Not only is it an honour and a privilege to actually see something that I wrote featured on Andy's website, but the amount of support and praise that I have received from friends, fellow writers and fellow music lovers has both touched me deeply and motivated me to write more. Special thanks to my dear friend, Suzi Parker, who inspires me daily.

In the evening, I had a Skype date with my beautiful friend Isabelle. She is one of the most important people in my life. We're so much alike, it's almost as though we were separated at birth. We've been friends for almost 20 years and have always kept in touch, but we haven't seen each other in over 10 years. I always enjoy my Skype dates with Isabelle, but this one was particularly special, because we were counting down the hours until the pre-sale for the Duran Duran concert in Hartford, CT on 24th August that we will be attending together. Isabelle & I have never seen Duran Duran together, so we are both extremely excited about this show! In my mind, we were going to score excellent seats. In the weeks leading up to the pre-sale, I could picture the two of us standing in the front row. I was not at all prepared for what happened at 1am Seoul time (12pm Hartford time) on my freaking birthday -- well, in Seoul, at least -- no less. The tickets available through the pre-sale sold out in one minute flat and I suddenly found myself with nothing. I was in a state of shock and so was Isabelle, who was standing by on Skype.

Thankfully, our Girl Panic didn't last long. I soon realised -- with a little help from my friends -- that if I refreshed the page, the "Buy Tickets" button would magically reappear, as people were holding on to tickets and then releasing them when they found better ones. In the end, I did manage to get tickets, but they aren't very good at all. Of course, I'm thrilled that Duran Duran are doing so well with ticket sales, but as a fan, it hasn't been easy securing tickets to the upcoming US shows. I'll actually be attending four shows in August -- fulfilling a dream that I have had since adolescence -- but I'll write all about that another time. Anyway, I'm so stoked about seeing them with Isabelle that it doesn't really matter that we'll be in the 18th row.

Finally, I ended up staying up way too late. Even after I had secured tickets, I continued chatting with friends on Twitter and refreshing the pre-sale page -- hoping for better tickets -- until the wee hours of the morning. Then suddenly, Simon Le Bon appeared on Twitter! I tweeted him, letting him know that he had arrived just in time for my birthday. Haha! Quite a few of my friends were online at the time, so they started tweeting him about my birthday, too. I have very good friends, don't I? No response. He appeared to have vanished. I continued refreshing the pre-sale page... to no avail. Then, a little after 3am Seoul time, Simon tweeted this...

... and I just about fell out of my chair! I was delirious from lack of sleep and honestly thought that I was hallucinating.

He then tweeted this...

... followed by this ...

...and finally this...

I was so gobsmacked that I didn't even bother correcting his grammar (it's "whose" birthday, Simon -- for crying out loud!) and I thanked him, and so did my friends. It's silly, I know, but I really love Simon Le Bon, no matter how cheeky and infuriating he can sometimes be.

Finally, around 5am, I tried to get some sleep. It was fruitless! Between my piece being published, the stress of purchasing tickets and the birthday tweets (sort of) from Simon, I was so wired that I didn't fall asleep until after 6am. I went to work the next morning after only about an hour of sleep. Needless to say, I was a little late for my 9:30am meeting...

Thursday 17th May: My Birthday!

Surprise!

I called Pearl to let her know that I was running late. I asked her to please not wait for me and to go ahead and start the meeting. I got to work at around 10am and headed straight to Pearl's office, where the meeting was taking place. The door was ajar. I opened it and was genuinely surprised when everyone started singing Happy Birthday. I was overwhelmed with emotion when I found out that Sameen, Sierra and Pearl had baked me a scrumptious homemade strawberry shortcake. It was the perfect start to the day.

The best birthday card ever!

My day just kept getting sweeter. My students' moms had birthday cakes for me in both my classes and the kids eagerly sang me Happy Birthday and showered me with cards and gifts. My co-workers also had some lovely gifts for me, which I was totally not expecting at all. They even made me this amazing birthday card! I love it!

It isn't always easy celebrating your birthday when you're so far away from home, and everyone at work made my day very special. Words cannot express how grateful I am for that. I went home feeling very, very loved. Of course, I was also completely knackered.

Moreover, I was pleasantly surprised by a birthday package sent by a dear friend, which arrived right on time. I had already opened my birthday care package from home when I received it weeks ago, but I waited until my birthday to open the cards from home. I nearly started to cry when I read those cards. Furthermore, the amount of birthday love that I was shown on Facebook and Twitter -- from my friends across the world -- made my day even brighter. Honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better day.

Saturday 19th May: The Lotus Lantern Parade

I'm in the parade and I've got a lantern!

Although I did go on a tour of some of Seoul's most famous temples on Buddha's birthday when I lived here in 2008, I had never attended this particular event before. Wow. What an incredible experience this was! For those who are interested, click on the link to learn more about the wonderful Seoul Lotus Lantern Festival, held in honour of Buddha's Birthday.

Samgyeopsal

After work, I walked to Jongno with a few of my colleagues, where we ate a delicious dinner of samgyeopsal and then headed to the parade. At first, we didn't have a very good view, as it was so crowded. Then, we decided to walk a little farther ahead and finally ended up joining the parade ourselves! We didn't have any lanterns, but that little problem was promptly rectified by locals who handed us lanterns. Everyone was so warm and friendly. People on the sidelines were waving at us. It was so much fun! I couldn't stop smiling!

Beautiful Colours at Jogyesa Temple

The parade ended at Jogyesa Temple in Insadong, which is adorned with brightly coloured lanterns for the festival. The temple will remain decorated like this until after Buddha's Birthday, which falls on 28th May this year. If you ever find yourself in Seoul at this time of year, I highly suggest attending this spectacular event. It was a magical experience that I will never forget.

Incredible lantern floats that were featured in the parade

Amitabha Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, and Bhaisaiya Buddha in Jogyesa Temple

Monday 21st May: Everland!

Everland - The Happiest Place in Korea

I really am just a big kid -- I love theme parks so much! Everland is located in Yongin -- an hour's bus ride from Seoul -- and is Korea's largest theme park. I spent the day there with my wonderful friends (and colleagues) Dao, Sameen & Sierra. I couldn't have asked for better companions or better weather. I was so excited that I actually did several happy dances throughout the day!

Double Rock Spin

The Double Rock Spin in Rock Ville was the first ride of the day and actually the only ride that I didn't go on. I kept on telling the girls, "I don't go upside down. There's nothing you can do to convince me." It's okay -- I enjoyed watching my friends on this ride. Little did I know that later on in the day, I would end up going on the Rolling X-Train, a roller coaster with two 360 degree loops... a first for me!

Prost!

Afterwards, we took the chairlift to the Alpine Village, where we ate lunch. It was a pretty surreal experience -- eating roast chicken and sausages and drinking ein Bier in a fake Beer Garden --  in the middle of a theme park in Korea!

After lunch, we explored Zoo-Topia, where we saw all manner of adorable animals and even a Three Musketeers-themed Seal Show! It was all in Korean, of course, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.

Love, Love, Love, Love

During the months of May and June at Everland, there is an annual Rose Festival. We visited the Rose Garden, splashed around with the kids in the fountains near the Four Seasons Garden, and
then headed  to what has always been my favourite -- the Log Ride. We waited an hour in line, but it was totally worth it. I sat in the front and got totally drenched!

The T-Express

The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the T-Express. It's currently the world's steepest wooden roller coaster, and I still can't believe that I found the courage to ride it! I would never have been able to do it without my friends' encouragement and I'm so glad that I did. What a thrill! It was simply exhilarating!

It was supposed to be our last ride of the day, but we were on such an adrenaline high after that -- we decided to stay until closing. We reveled in the magic of a brightly lit theme park at night, went on a few more rides, then overdosed on cuteness at all the gift shops. I didn't get home until about 1am. It was a perfect day!

This video of the T-Express is a must-watch! It's hilarious!

So... this extraordinary week can only mean one thing: this is going to be one hell of a year! I'm reminded of a quote from one of my favourite films, Dead Poet's Society: "Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary." I'm excited for what comes next!

A Night With Morrissey

Last Sunday, I was reminded why I love Morrissey so much. After 26 years of waiting, I finally found myself in the right place at the right time. I finally got to see the enigmatic icon who helped shape my youth, perform live. He did not disappoint.

To say that I was once obsessed with The Smiths would be an understatement. I started listening to them in 1986, which is sad, really, because they broke up in 1987. The first album I bought was The Queen is Dead (1986) and I was hooked. It didn't take very long before I owned their two previous releases Meat is Murder (1985) and The Smiths (1984) as well as any singles I could get my hands on. By the time their last studio album, Strangeways, Here we Come (1987) was released, I had read the complete works of Oscar Wilde and had become a strict vegetarian, all because of Morrissey. I still love Oscar Wilde, but I gave up vegetarianism in 1991. What can I say? I missed seafood too much. I'm sorry, Moz.

Oscar Wilde

When I took my seat in the balcony at the AX Korea, a venue with a capacity of about 2,000 people, a video of the New York Dolls performing Looking for a Kiss was playing. As soon as the video ended, the screen dramatically fell to the floor, revealing a stage set with a backdrop of my beloved Oscar Wilde, with a speech bubble saying, 'WHO IS MORRISSEY?' The familiar bells tolled, and Morrissey, flanked by his bandmates, who were (excluding guitarist Boz Boorer, who was in drag) donning 'We Hate William and Kate' t-shirts, took centre stage. Immediately, the gladioli took flight. It was... magical.

Then Moz spoke. He said, "Tonight... I give you my soul," and the crowd went mental. Leave it to Moz to open a show in Seoul with those words. How could you not love him? Then, the band launched into the hypnotic anthem of alienation and social isolation, How Soon Is Now? and Moz began to sing and... his voice was heavenly. I was mesmerised... transported to a dark basement, sitting on the cold, carpeted floor, listening to The Smiths and feeling what so many teens at the time were feeling... somebody understands me. This is why, the simplest gesture, such as an outstretched hand, means so much when executed by Morrissey. Every time he gracefully reached out to the crowd, adoring fans in the front row struggled to touch his hand. I envied them, from my balcony seat. Oh well. Next time I'll be closer. I really hope there will be a next time.

In the meantime, I've got a lot of catching up to do. I have to admit, despite owning everything The Smiths ever released on vinyl, the only solo album of Morrissey's I have in my collection is Viva Hate (1988). While I enjoyed every minute of last Sunday's performance, and certainly recognised tracks from albums I may not actually own, there were only six songs (How Soon is Now?, Every Day is Like Sunday, Meat is Murder, I Know It's Over, Shoplifters of the World Unite and Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me) with which I was able to sing along to in their entirety.

I've heard horror stories from friends who've seen Morrissey live; tales of the singer insulting the audience or getting pissed off about something and leaving the stage after only five songs, never to return. However, he was gracious and kind to the audience in Seoul. It was his first time in Korea. At one point, he emphatically expressed, "I never thought my career would bring me to... Korea," then proceeded to clutch his face in his hands, as though overwhelmed by the love and attention. It was extremely touching. In fact, there were so many memorable moments at this show, it's hard to single just one of them out. One of the highlights of the night was when, halfway through the song Speedway (from 1994's Vauxhall and I) there was a silent pause, followed by Morrissey's crooning of, "Starry, starry night, Paint your palette blue and gray, Look out on a summer's day... and... wot?" from the song Vincent (a tribute to Van Gogh) by Don McLean. It was absurd. It made me laugh. Another highlight was when Morrissey took an envelope from one of the fans, clutched it to his heart and later stuffed it in his back pocket. I nearly swooned. Of course, when he tore his shirt off and flung it into the crowd, I also nearly swooned.

Unfortunately, the only photo I took that night

Normally, I wouldn't let a silly thing like security get in my way, but they made me put my bag in a locker, the bastards! And I didn't have any pockets! Luckily, some people managed to sneak their cameras in. The following video montage recaptures the magic, allowing me to relive this extraordinary night...

All in all, it truly was an unforgettable show. I am so glad that I finally got to see him perform live. I love you, Morrissey. I'm sorry that I had forgotten how much I do. I never will again... I promise.

Seoul Set List:
1. How Soon Is Now
2. You Have Killed Me
3. Every Day Is Like Sunday
4. Alma Matters
5. You're The One For Me, Fatty
6. Shoplifters Of The World Unite
7. I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
8. Speedway (+ ‘Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on a summer's day’ - from “Vincent”)
9. To Give (The Reason I Live) - Frankie Valli Cover
10. Meat Is Murder
11. Let Me Kiss You
12. Black Cloud
13. I'll See You In Far-Off Places
14. I Know It's Over
15. Ouija Board, Ouija Board
16. When I Last Spoke To Carol
17. One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell
18. Last Night I dreamt That Somebody Loved Me

Encore : First Of The Gang To Die

Stay with the music, let it play...

Duran Duran - All You Need is Now

Anyone who knows me well is fully aware that music is an integral part of my life. Okay, so I never quite got that band I envisioned back in high school up off the ground. I do, however, have a book full of poetry and song lyrics and I am known to spontaneously burst into song quite frequently. I also have a rather impressive musical library and have attended far too many concerts to list here. Not to mention, I worked in two different record stores during the late 80s and early 90s, both of which went bankrupt long ago, but I loved those jobs. My point is, without music, my life would be empty.

That being said, despite my diverse musical tastes, nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to a Duran Duran concert. Why? Because, for me, they started it all. They were the first band that I ever loved, that I could truly call my own. This was not my older siblings' music. This was my music. They opened a portal to a world where riveting melodies collided with surrealist lyrics; a world of boundless joy that soothed my teenage soul. They came into my life when I needed them most; during those tumultuous early teenage years. They taught me that it was okay to be different. I honestly believe that I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for Duran Duran. This is why, when it comes to Duran Duran, it's not just about the music. Only a true Duranie can understand: a Duran Duran concert is much, much more than a concert. It's an intensely emotional experience, to say the least. Strangely enough, I have only had the pleasure of seeing them live four times and the first two shows I saw were over 20 years apart. This was not a choice, but rather, a matter of not being in the right place at the right time, but I digress. In any case, All You Need is NOW!

Simon at Le National, Montreal, April 2011

As I mentioned in my last post, I hadn't seen Duran live since April 2011, at their unforgettable show at Le National in Montreal. Shortly after that whirlwind tour, Simon Le Bon lost the top of his vocal range, for reasons that will forever remain a mystery. It was a devastating blow that came at the worst possible time, as they were still on such a high from the North American promotional mini-tour of their brilliant album, All You Need is Now (2010) produced by the uber-talented Mark Ronson. Furthermore, they were getting set to begin an impressive European summer tour which was scheduled to start in July and run through mid-September and included dates across the UK and continental Europe, all of which were postponed, due to Simon's vocal problems. Devoted fans (including myself) across the world sent an outpouring of support to our beloved frontman and waited, with bated breath, for news of his recovery, as he spent several weeks consulting with numerous doctors as well as a vocal therapist. 


When the band announced another North American tour scheduled to begin at the end of September and run through the end of October, we all rejoiced, regardless of whether we were able to attend or not. It wasn't easy, knowing that they were headed back to my hometown of Montreal while I was so far away, but I was thrilled that Simon was ready to hit the stage once again. The band also played a series of special rehearsal shows in the UK in September before embarking on the North American tour. I can't begin to describe how relieved and ecstatic I was to hear, from friends who were lucky enough to attend the rehearsal shows, that Simon was back in top form. 

Waiting for my favourite band on Planet Earth

Of course, all of this happened after I had already begun a very restrictive one-year contract in Seoul, South Korea. Over the next few months, thanks to social networking, I lived vicariously through my friends who attended shows in North America in September and October, then later in the UK for the re-scheduled shows throughout the month of December. Duran Duran also re-scheduled some of the European dates and I followed my friends' experiences at shows in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Belgium and Slovakia in January. When the band announced plans for an Australian tour, I started to get really excited, as it's closer to Asia and in the past, they've always announced Asian tour dates around the same time as Australian tour dates. When they announced tour dates in Singapore and Hong Kong, I immediately started looking into flights. I soon figured out that neither my pocketbook nor my restrictive work schedule would allow me to attend those shows. I was gutted. I kept my fingers crossed. Then, the first week of January, they announced that they would be playing Seoul on 12th March! I was over the moon! I walked around in a dream-state for the next two months... 

Members of Duran Duran Korea Fan Club

Duran Duran have only played Seoul three times in their entire 30+ year career. They came here for the first time in 1989 on The Electric Theatre Tour, promoting their Big Thing (1988) album. It took almost 20 years for them to come back to the Land of the Morning Calm. I was lucky enough to be living here at the time and I attended the electrifying show at Seoul Olympic Gym in April 2008 as part of The Red Carpet Massacre Tour, celebrating their 2007 album of the same name. At the show, and on local television, they promised that they wouldn't wait as long to come back here again and, to my delight, as well as to the delight of all the dedicated Korean fans, they kept their promise...

Me and my sign outside Seoul Olympic Hall

On 12th March 2012, the energy and anticipation in Seoul Olympic Hall, as I waited, along with thousands of adoring Korean fans, was palpable. There I stood, second row centre, still in my dream-state, swaying to the sounds of the enchanting instrumental Return to Now. When the band took the stage, the crowd went wild! The haunting, opening notes of the atmospheric Before The Rain, off their magnificent, latest album All You Need is Now, sent shivers down my spine. Then, when Simon started to sing, I lost myself completely in his extraordinary, pitch-perfect voice, not to mention, his mesmerizing ocean-blue eyes. At that moment, I told myself, there is no place on earth I'd rather be.

Next, they launched into the New Romantic anthem that put them on the charts back in 1981, their first single, Planet Earth, featuring what is perhaps Duran Duran's sexiest bassline ever by Bass God John Taylor. This song always gets the whole audience dancing and despite the packed crowd, I joined in on the boisterous revelry, of course. Their next song was the phenomenal Bond theme song, A View to A Kill and yes, we danced "into the fire" and got all revved up for the amazing title track off All You Need is Now, which holds a special place in my heart, as the message of this song resonates deeply with me for a multitude of reasons.

Play the f**king bass, John 

When Simon came down into the crowd, searching for, "A man who can sing," I knew exactly what the band had in store for us. He chose a male fan to sing the intro to The Reflex, as the supremely talented Nick Rhodes played the familiar keyboard tune from one of my favourite singles ever. I reckon I was singing, "Ta na na na," much louder than the lucky man who got to share the microphone with Simon... something I can only dream of doing someday. Sigh. Nonetheless, it was an extraordinary moment and once again, I danced and sang my little heart out!

Simon Le Bon & John Taylor

I should mention that while I was queued-up, in the garage of the venue, I had noticed two girls handing out bright pink sheets of paper with the Duran Duran logo printed on them. Everyone was making paper airplanes, so I asked them why. One of the girls told me that the plan was to launch the airplanes onto the stage during the song Come Undone, which I found rather odd, so I asked her why. She said, "I just really love that song." Fair enough. I can't begin to describe the perplexed looks on the band members' (especially Simon's) faces when that happened. As much as I enjoy the song, I also found myself having a personal, internal giggle, as I tend to walk around Seoul in a perpetual state of confusion myself, so it was particularly funny (to me) to see the looks of "What? Why?" on their faces. Naturally, when Simon licked his fingers after the line, "Or the magic I'm feeding off your fingers..." I totally came undone! And yes, I do know that Simon wrote the song for his stunning wife Yasmin, but hey, a girl can dream... 

The Controller - Nick Rhodes

Their next song was the disco-flavoured, Larry Levan inspired, Chic influenced tune Safe (In the Heat of the Moment) off the brilliant All You Need is Now. The album track features a rap by Ana Matronic of Scissor Sisters. In the live show, the lovely  Anna Ross amazed us with her rapping skills. It's an energetic and playful song that I dare you not to dance to! Honestly, I can't get enough of the new album and I kind of wish they had played as many tracks off it as they did at the Montreal show at Le National, but believe me, I'm not complaining, because their next song was Is There Something I Should Know, which I hadn't heard live since 1987. What a thrill it was hearing it live again after all these years!


Next, they played another track off the new album; Girl Panic! an enthralling song that is infused with their classic, 80s New Wave sound, yet (like the entire album) feels entirely fresh and relevant. The lyrics were written by keyboardist Nick Rhodes and it's one of my favourite tracks on the album. The stunning video, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, featuring supermodels Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Eva Herzigova, Helena Christensen and Yasmin Le Bon was banned by MTV (as if they even play videos anymore) and has become an Internet sensation with over 5 million views on YouTube.  The live performance was accompanied by a montage of clips from the superbly stylish video, but I must admit that I was too distracted by Simon's exuberant dance moves to really notice. Needless to say, I was thrown into a Girl Panic!

This was followed by what is probably my favourite track off All You Need is Now, the breathtaking The Man Who Stole a Leopard. This song simply transports me and if I were to try and describe it, I'd say it's a cross between The Chauffeur, David Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World and William Blake's poem The Tyger, but that's just me. Apparently, the song was inspired by The Collector, a disturbing 1965 film starring Terence Stamp, that I have always loved. In a November 2010 interview, Nick Rhodes compared it  to The Velvet Underground's The Gift. On the album, the song features string arrangements by Canadian composer, violinist, keyboardist and vocalist Owen Pallett as well as vocals by alternative R&B singer-songwriter Kelis, which were performed beautifully by Anna Ross live. Furthermore, performed live, the song requires some audience participation, in the form of a series of hand claps, while drummer Roger Taylor sneaks out from behind his drum kit to clap along with us. The song concludes with a fabricated news story written by Nick Rhodes and spoken by British journalist Nina Hossain (who also lends her voice to the wonderful album track Blame the Machines) and in the live show, she appears on the big screen situated behind the band, superimposed before the image of a magnificent leopard. I had never had the pleasure of hearing it live, so I was absolutely delighted! 

John Taylor & Simon Le Bon

Things really got funky with the title track off Notorious (1986), the first album released by Duran Duran as a trio, after the departure of Roger Taylor and Andy Taylor. This ground-breaking album was produced by the brilliant Nile Rodgers. There was a time when this song, the first single off the album, was somewhat bittersweet for me. In retrospect, I realise how silly that sounds, especially since there is no mistaking the simple fact that this song, as well as the entire album, is pure genius. I recently came across this little bit of history (from my hometown of Montreal) on Wikipedia: 

When the track made its debut on Montreal radio station CHOM during the October 20, 1986 edition of the nightly radio show Rock And Roll News, DJ Randy Renaud declared that by the next night, the song Amanda by Boston (which had been holding on to the number one spot on CHOM's charts for several weeks) could "kiss the number one spot goodbye." Sure enough, by the next night, CHOM had received enough requests for the song that it supplanted Amanda from the #1 spot on the stations nightly countdown show, The Top Six At Six.

As if things were not already sufficiently heated-up, the band then exploded into their energetic cover of Grandmaster Melle Mel's White Lines. It may not be my first choice off 1995's covers album, Thank You, but it certainly is a treat to experience live, infused with unabashed energy and bringing the crowd to a whole new level of frenzy. They actually played this song at their last show in Seoul and I personally enjoyed it this time even more than the last time.

Gave me goose bumps when he sang Ordinary World

I think it was around this time that Simon started speaking in what I can only describe as a cartoon character (or perhaps even Muppet-like) voice. I normally hang on his every word, but I can honestly say that I have no idea what he said, as the giddy crowd was roaring with laughter. He then returned to his normal speaking voice, which took on a much more serious tone, as he reminded us how fortunate we all are to live "good lives" while others on our planet are suffering. The crowd remained respectfully silent as he dedicated the exquisitely melancholic Ordinary World to the people of Syria. This was a show highlight for me because, when Simon hit those supernaturally high notes at the end of the song, it was made abundantly clear that his incredible voice is stronger than ever. Any fan who has not had the pleasure of seeing them live since the recovery of his voice, please believe me when I say: you can stop worrying. He's back and he's better than ever.

My favourite photo of the night

Next, the band exploded into the iconic Hungry Like the Wolf, and the crowd went mental! It's always exciting to hear this song live, not only because, as an adolescent in Canada, it was one of the first Duran Duran songs I ever heard, but because it truly showcases what talented musicians they truly are. Now would be a good time to say that while I do, of course, miss original guitarist Andy Taylor, this Duran Duran, consisting of four of the founding members: keyboardist extraordinaire Nick Rhodes, eternally funky bass player John Taylor, supremely gifted drummer Roger Taylor and phenomenally charismatic lead vocalist Simon Le Bon also features the excellent Dom Brown on lead guitar, the exquisite Anna Ross on backing vocals and the wonderful Simon Willescroft on saxophone and let me say that this tight group of musicians are, in a word... sublime. Not only do they sound fantastic, but there is an unmistakable sense of camaraderie and joy on that stage that shines through for every single member of the audience and I have no words to describe just how amazing that feels and how much it means to me to be a part of it, however small.

Wild Boys never lose it!

If any song could embody that feeling of jubilation, it's got to be Reach Up (For the Sunrise), the first single off 2004's Astronaut, as well as the first single to feature all five of the original band members since 1985's A View to a Kill. I absolutely love hearing this song live! It's simply exhilarating to sing along with the entire audience, as we triumphantly thrust our hands into the air along with our beloved frontman.

Next, the band plunged into the raw intensity of The Wild Boys with reckless abandon and, well, so did I. I vividly remember the day the cutting-edge video for their twelfth single, which appeared on 1984's live album Arena, was released. Whenever I hear this song, the memories of being a 15 year-old, gawking at Simon Le Bon strapped to a windmill flood my brain. This was not the first time I'd heard the song live, but it was the first time that I got to hear it combined with a cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax and it was bloody brilliant! Yes, I did have that t-shirt when I was 15, and yes, I wish that I still did. The band left the stage after this song, but it wasn't too long before they came back for an encore...

Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand

I always look forward to Simon's band introductions during the delectable Girls On Film, but I also start to feel sad because I know that the party will soon be coming to an end. Nonetheless, I, along with the entire crowd, enjoyed every blissful minute of this forever popular, sexy signature song. I've been promised a professional video of this, along with Rio, filmed by a cameraman friend of one of my new Korean Duranie friends. In the meantime, I have no footage, so for those of you who may be unfamiliar, the phrase "Play the fucking bass, John," is an awful lot of fun to chant and I highly encourage you to try it. Also, you should know that Nick Rhodes is “The future of the human race, man. Comes from outer space, man. Got such a pretty face, man. Can I come over to your place, man?” When Simon jumped down into the crowd and asked if anybody could introduce him, I can assure you that I raised my hand and calmly suggested, "ME!" Then, he said, "In Korean, of course," so I put my hand down and said, "Oh. Not me." In retrospect, I should have said, "Je peux te présenter en français, Simon," because that might have got his attention. Anyway, the first Korean girl he asked just gave him a blank stare. He gave up and walked right in my direction. My heart skipped a beat. He chose the girl standing directly in front of me. On impulse, I decided to put my arm around him. I mean, this man, whom I've adored from afar for nearly 30 years of my life, was standing right there beside me. How could I not? It's okay. He'll choose me next time. Tee-hee.

The last song of this spectacular show was the iconic Rio, featuring the most memorable sax solo of the 80s, performed on stage by the talented Simon Willescroft. It was our last chance of the evening to fully appreciate the magic that is Duran live and I embraced it with every fibre of my being. It's been a week and a half since the show ended and I'm still on cloud nine. The really good news is that I'll be back in North America in the autumn, just in time for the second leg of the North American tour. I'm so pleased that the boys thought of waiting for me. I will try to see as many shows as I possibly can, because honestly, there's no place on earth I'd rather be. ♥

Duran Duran Live in Seoul!

I've been living in Seoul (again) for a little over seven months and I don't think that I need to say how excited I was when I found out that Duran Duran would be coming here as part of their All You Need is NOW tour. I've been counting down the days for the last two months and NOW, the show is just a couple of days away. I don't think I'll truly believe it until I'm standing in that (hopefully) first row!

I last saw Duran Duran on 26th April (drummer Roger Taylor's birthday) 2011 at Le National in Montreal as part of their promotional tour of the new album. It was a night I'll never forget. They came back to Montreal in October of last year on the official AYNIN tour. I was in Seoul, hoping with all my heart that they would announce a date here...and they did! I've been living vicariously through all my friends who were fortunate enough to attend shows over the last few months and now...my time has come! I'm incredibly stoked! Stay tuned for my full report...

New Seoul Mud

Today, I visited a spa in Itaewon called New Seoul Mud and it was quite the experience. First of all, I walked in and tried to get some information at the front desk. The woman behind the counter said, "Japanese only," to me, so I answered, "Well, I speak a little Japanese," in Japanese. I don't know why she said, "Japanese only," because she was Korean, but whatever. I know that the place caters to Japanese tourists. However, I was the only patron in there today. I'm assuming this was because it is the Lunar New Year weekend.

Anyway, once she finally took my money (₩70,000 for two hours of treatments) and admitted me, another lady took me by the hand and led me to the changing area. This lady asked me (in Korean) if I spoke English to which I replied, "Yes, but I also speak a little Japanese," in Japanese. She replied with the standard, "Wow! That's amazing," to which I replied, "No, it really isn't," because I know that my Japanese sucks.

I took off my clothes and changed into the little, cotton wrap that she gave me. This is standard attire in Japanese spas, whereas in Korean spas, they usually give you loose fitting shorts and a t-shirt. Then, another lady led me downstairs (speaking Japanese the whole time) and then she covered me in a burlap sack, took me by the hand and beckoned for me to enter a jade sauna. I had to crouch to get inside, since the door was Hobbit-sized. After I'd been in there for a few minutes, she came in and said, "It's hot, isn't it!" in Japanese. I said, "Yes, but I'm okay." Then, she said something else, but the only word I understood was "alone" so I said, "Yes, I'm alone." Then she said something in Korean and the only word I recognised was "American," so I answered, in Japanese, "No, I'm Canadian." She said, "Oh, Canadian," and smiled. Then, she motioned for me to throw the burlap sack back over my head.

I'm not sure how long she left me in there after that, but it felt like a really long time. I started thinking about how strange the whole thing was, sitting there in a burlap sack, speaking broken Japanese to some Korean lady, who appeared to have forgotten about the Canadian in the sauna. By the time she came to collect me, I was sweating profusely and felt a little bit faint. I guess I spent enough time in there to sweat out most of the toxins in my body. But wait, there's more! She led me to another area with three saunas and explained the order that I should go in. The first one was a traditional Korean Charcoal Sauna. The next one was a traditional Korean Clay Sauna, otherwise known as a Kiln Sauna. The last one was a steam room, or Hamam. I spent a few minutes in each one. Then, I saw another lady standing outside the steam room with a large bottle of water. She poured two cups of water for me, then led me to the showering area.

This part was really bizarre. I took off my cotton wrap and the two ladies stood there and watched me shower. Then, they told me to get in a Green Tea Hot Bath. I soaked in there for a while. Next, the second lady told me to get into some sort of Jacuzzi. It was very relaxing. I had the whole place to myself and I started imagining it was my own private spa. The second lady snapped me out of my daydream when I saw that she had changed into her standard Spa Ajuma (Spa Lady) outfit: black lace panties and bra. No, I'm not kidding.

She led me to the massage area. I lay on the table and she scrubbed me from head to toe. Now, when I say scrubbed, I literally mean that she scrubbed a layer of dead skin off my body. You can read more about Korean body scrubs here. Then, she gave me a fresh cucumber facial scrub and proceeded to massage my body with oil. Next, she put a mud pack on my face and massaged my body with milk. Afterwards, she washed my hair and then led me back to the showers to rinse off. Finally, she dried me off, wrapped me in a robe and sent me on my merry way. Back in the changing area, I dried my hair and got dressed. Then, I bid the grumpy lady at the front desk farewell...in Korean, Japanese and English.

Breaking Through

Something incredible happened yesterday. A boy in my Saturday afternoon class had a major breakthrough and I can't begin to describe how ecstatic I am about this. Although I've been here for a little over four months, I've only been teaching this class, as well as my Saturday morning class, for three months, since I spent my first month substituting for other teachers every Saturday. Still, three months is a long time and that is how long it took for this boy to finally participate. Honestly, I wasn't sure that he ever would...

The first time I taught this class, it became abundantly clear that this little boy had serious issues with change. His dad dropped him off and he just stood at the door crying. He refused to look at me and no amount of comforting would get him to stop crying or even move from his spot at the door. That day, I had a substitute Teaching Assistant (TA) working with me, and she wasn't able to get him to stop crying either. Furthermore, the classroom itself was in a different location for him. Therefore, the poor child walked into a classroom where nothing was familiar: new room, new teacher, new TA. Of course, rather than having me substitute every Saturday during the entire month of August, it would have been a good call to let me co-teach with the former teacher at least once, but there's no point in trying to understand. There are a lot of things that I don't understand about my school. Anyway, after about an hour, the TA was able to coax him away from the door, but he refused to sit with the other children during circle time and refused to participate in any activities, despite my attempts to include him. At break time, he ate his snack alone and then during free-play, he sat alone, colouring. When he was finished, he showed his picture to the TA and then to me. I praised him and he gave me a blank stare. That was the extent of his interaction with me.

The following week, I asked my TA Kyung-Yun about him. She told me that he has always been that way. She also told me that the former teacher suspected that he had OCD. Although I majored in Child Studies and have taken courses in child psychology, I am by no means qualified to properly diagnose. If we were in Canada, this child would have probably been diagnosed with something by now, but in all honesty, I think that we have a tendency to over-diagnose in North America. We're obsessed with labels. I refuse to label this child, but it's obvious that his socio-emotional development is far behind that of his peers.

Every subsequent Saturday, I said hello to him, smiled at him, showed him lots of warmth, tried to include him in all games and activities and continued to observe his behaviour. He never answered me, although he did sometimes answer Kyung-Yun. Then, one day, he said something to me in Korean. It was a small step, but I was thrilled that it was something that I actually understood so that I could answer him! I also noticed that he never played with any of the other kids. He would usually spend free-play colouring or sometimes building things, but always on his own. One day, he sat beside one of the little girls who also really enjoys colouring and started speaking animatedly to her in Korean. It was also the first time that I saw him smile.

Eventually, he started joining us at circle time, but he never answered me when I called on him and he has never sung any of the songs we sing, although I have caught him smiling or doing some of the song actions on occasion. He is extremely clever and excels at math. He is usually the first one to finish any math worksheets in class. He does well with both math and English in the unit book that the kids work on at home. I've also figured out that he understands English a lot more than he lets on. He never has trouble following directions; he just refuses to participate in anything other than worksheets (which I try to avoid, to be honest) or arts and crafts. He is meticulous with his crafts. He also has a habit of writing his name on the back of his work ten times, using each of the colours in the crayon box. But, I digress...

Kyung-Yun recently accepted a teaching position at a public elementary school, so last Saturday was her last day. I tried to explain the situation with this little boy to my new TA, but I'm not entirely sure that she understood. That's a whole other situation, which I'm not going to get into. Let's just say that I already miss Kyung-Yun terribly! Anyway, he was crying when he first came in, so I put my arms around him and told him that I had some new colouring pages to show him. He chose one of a Christmas tree and started colouring. He stopped crying. This was the first triumph!

Nonetheless, he didn't want to join us at circle time. I went to get him and led him to the circle. I was certain that he would protest, but to my surprise, he did not. Once again, he refused to sing along and didn't answer me when I asked him how he was doing today. As usual, he didn't participate in calendar time or any of the other usual activities at circle time. Then, we played a memory game using winter vocabulary that I had prepared for this lesson. Normally, when we play games, I spiritedly tell him that it's his turn and he ignores me. The other kids always say, "Pass!" but this time, I insisted. I took his hand and asked him to show me which card he wanted to turn over first. He did it! He played every turn after that, without me having to prompt him. Another triumph!

Later on, I noticed that he was actually playing with one of the other boys during free-play. They were both laughing and it was an absolute joy to see. After break time, we played a math relay and again, when it was his turn, he refused to get up. I went to get him and not only did he get up, but he answered every single question correctly and his team won because of his exceptional math skills! He smiled and actually gave me a high five! A huge triumph!

Finally, at story time, I decided to be really daring and asked him a direct question. For the first time ever, he answered me! Then, when I asked another question, he raised his hand and answered me again! This was the best triumph of all! I looked at the new TA and said, "This has never happened before. I'm so proud of him!" She didn't really have any sort of reaction. That's okay. I got up and did a little dance. The other kids were excited about it too. I'm hoping that this was truly a turning point and that he will continue to show more interest in all classroom activities. I will not give up on this child! I only wish that Kyung-Yun had been there to witness all of this.

11/11/11

As you can see, the chocolate covered baguette really does exist, after all! The boy who gave me the baguette actually spends a great deal of his time driving me crazy on a regular basis, so he somewhat redeemed himself today. After posing for this photo, I shared the baguette with my co-workers. It was kind of messy to eat, but absolutely delicious!

I have to admit, I let the kids' excitement rub off on me for this silly holiday. I got a little carried away, even invented a Pepero Day dance, which the kids enjoyed tremendously. I was totally spoiled by them today. Check out all the goodies that I got! It was fun and I'm a little sad that it's over.

Pepero Day?

While my friends and family in the UK and my homeland of Canada, along with all commonwealth countries will be donning poppies and observing a moment of silence to honour the members of our armed forces who have died in the line of duty since World War I, I will be stuck in The Twilight Zone that is South Korea and eating chocolate covered biscuits. Why? Because in South Korea, November 11th is Pepero Day. What in the world is Pepero Day? Allow me to explain...

Pepero is a long, stick shaped biscuit that would be rather bland (think breadstick) if it weren't dipped in chocolate. They are manufactured by Lotte, which is a Japanese/South Korean conglomerate (established in 1948 in Tokyo by Japanese-educated, Korean businessman Shin Kyuk-Ho) and are actually a direct rip-off of the Japanese snack, Pocky, manufactured by Glico. Pocky was invented in 1966, while Pepero didn't make its appearance until 1983. The "holiday" however, didn't begin until 1994. Well, you can call it a holiday, but I prefer to call it a clever marketing strategy, as Lotte usually does about 55% of their Pepero business in November every year. According to one story, Pepero Day was started in 1994 by students at a girls middle school in Busan, where they exchanged Pepero sticks as gifts to wish one another to grow "as tall and slender as a Pepero," but I find that story highly suspicious, don't you? Why November 11th? The date 11/11 is said to resemble five Pepero sticks. Does this mean that Lotte will see even more sales this year on 11/11/11?

Something else you should know is that over time, this holiday has evolved into a day that is meant for lovers, making it similar to Valentine's Day, which is kind of annoying really, because they do celebrate Valentine's Day in South Korea and, like in Japan, only women are meant to give men chocolate on February 14th. Men are expected to return the favour a month later, on March 14th, otherwise known as White Day (celebrated in both South Korea and Japan) and if that wasn't enough, on April 14th South Koreans have a pity-fest called Black Day, reserved for all those who did not receive chocolate on either Valentine's Day or White Day. Are you confused yet? Welcome to my world.

Now, the good news (or bad news if you're on a diet) is that if you're an English teacher in South Korea, chances are you will be receiving a whole lot of Pepero on Pepero Day, regardless of your relationship status. Like in North America on Valentine's Day, children are encouraged to offer gifts to all of their classmates and usually to their teachers too. It's only November 9th and I've already received one gift of Chocolate Rondeletti (a gourmet version of Pepero from a South Korean bakery chain called Paris Baguette) from one of my students. I've also heard that Paris Baguette sell actual baguettes dipped in chocolate on this holiday, but that may just be a rumour.

I find it rather fascinating that a country that has been plagued by war more than most celebrates such a lighthearted and contrived holiday on the very same day that Remembrance Day (not to mention Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day in France, Belgium & New Zealand, all commemorating the end of World War I) is observed. It just goes to show you that, despite the hardships they have endured, Koreans certainly have a sense of fun. My students are very excited about Pepero Day and they freaked right out when I pointed out that this year is 11/11/11. I will be sure to post a photo of all Pepero that comes my way, although I am hoping that they won't overdo it. I am, after all, trying to watch what I eat...

Pepero Day display in the shopping area near Sungshin Women's University

The Evil Weevil

It's official. I am totally grossed out! Last night, I decided to make myself a nice Thai curry. To my surprise, when I opened the bag of Jasmine rice I had purchased at the Foreign Food Market in Itaewon, I came face to face with a familiar vermin: the weevil. I once had an encounter with these pantry pests years ago, back home in Canada. They had infested some flour and had made their way into at least half of the other grain products in my pantry. It was a nasty affair that ended up being both very time consuming and expensive.

Luckily, because I haven't been here for very long and I don't do as much cooking at home in Korea as I do in Canada, it didn't take me that long to get rid of (hopefully, they're gone) these pests. I emptied out my pantry. I painstakingly checked every possible food product that could have been contaminated. Only the rice and a packet of sliced almonds had been infested. I cleaned the pantry with sudsy water. I let it dry. I put everything back in. Now, I will hope for the best.

When it comes to rice, I like variety. I get bored with Korean rice (essentially the same as Japanese "sticky rice") so I always go to the Foreign Food Market to make sure I'm stocked up on Jasmine or Basmati, even though it's ridiculously overpriced. Now, I'm so freaked out that I'm not sure that I ever want to go back to that place! The fact that the only other food item in my pantry where I found a weevil was the packet of sliced almonds also purchased there has totally put me off.

I know that I'm going to be paranoid about this for a while. It doesn't help that I did some research and found out that we have all eaten weevils, in one form or another, at some stage in our lives...

Quoted from How to Get Rid of Weevils

"I am both pleased and honored to be the one to tell you that yes, you have eaten weevils. I know it's a disgusting thought, but there's really nothing to be done about it. Most people are never even aware that it has happened. It might have simply been their eggs. It could, however, have been little bits of exoskeleton, maybe a leg or two, or possibly even the entire nasty weevil . . . or at least its larvae. With something as common as weevils, it's pretty much unavoidable. They can be found in nearly any prepackaged food you buy that contains any sort of grain. I'm talkin' cookies, crackers, biscuits, cake mixes, pastas, breakfast cereals, anything. This is due to the fact that weevils lay their eggs in, you guessed it, grains."

So, are you grossed out yet? Good, I'm not alone.  Incidentally, I also learned that Bay Leaves are a natural weevil deterrent. I have now spread Bay Leaves throughout my pantry. Wish me luck...

The Little Things

The long work hours, the daily commute on public transportation so crowded you have to experience it to believe it, the constant state of perplexity caused by the simple fact that you cannot read, speak, or understand the language, the sense of isolation that comes with living so very far away from family and friends. These are some of the reasons why living in Seoul can be stressful.

Thankfully, I am lucky enough to work with a great team of teachers who help keep me sane. The fact that I am able to commiserate with them is something that was gravely lacking at my last job in Seoul. Moreover, I am inspired by my students every day. Just knowing that I've had an impact, however small, on the lives of these children, makes it all worthwhile. When Se-Eun gave me an unexpected rose the other day, I thought to myself, "This is why I'm here."

I also find myself taking refuge in the little things.The truth is, despite the stress that comes from living in a sprawling metropolis and constantly feeling lost in translation, there are also a lot of little things that I like about living in Seoul. One of those things is shopping! I went shopping near Sungshin Women's University after work on Saturday and I found these very cute earrings. They may not be extravagant or expensive, but this made me happy. Honestly, it doesn't take much...

Korean Walnut Cakes

Hodo Kwaja (Walnut Cakes) are quite possibly my favourite thing in Korea. They are the most addictive little tidbits of yummy goodness! Inside these little walnut shaped cakes is a filling of sweet red bean paste and a whole walnut. Yeon-Soo's mom gave me a box of them today. Inside, there were four bags like the one in this photo that I took. I grabbed one bag for myself and shared the rest with my colleagues because, believe me, if I hadn't, I would have easily eaten the entire box!