In spite of the good friends & loved ones strewn about, halfway across the world, technology has made it possible to connect with the simple touch of a button. There is certainly something to be said for waking up to an influx of emails, Facebook messages & random Skype calls wishing the best for a special day like today....it's truly astonishing how small the world has become in this regard. And it's so much more than shopping online & forwarding chain emails. The fact businesses can operate w/out brick & mortar facilities & parents can check on their wanderlust son via Skype, still baffles my mind but definitely in a good way!
The ladies at the Otaedong school (Tues/Thurs) somehow managed to find out & were very excited to get me some green tea cake-type dessert (they do know of my propensity for green tea) & the opportunity to dine at the same great traditional Korean restaurant we had our New Years dinner at but this was Thurs, so it's not exactly the 'big day' just yet....however, the mood was still festive, the Soju flowed freely & the consumption of mediocre, watered down, Korean beer was something I wasn't particularly opposed to. Just me & the ladies; they really are very kind & generous while helping to ensure my time in Korea is one I'll not only enjoy but remember fondly after I'm gone!
Green Tea Birthday Cake
Birthday Dinner - Korean Style
So, back to the shenanigans & revelry of the day. Most days I usually wake up mid morning, check emails, Facebook, relevant news of interest to me & sometimes get in some exercise. Today was much of the same, aside from a Skype call from a great friend & a bounty of messages wishing me a joyous, festive & awesome day!
Nothing too spectacular happened at school on Friday....I don't advertise birthdays - if ya know, ya know, if ya don't, no big deal. I have always held to the belief that, although a birthday is a significant marker of time (possibly accomplishment or lack there of, as well) in a persons life & can be quite a festive occasion when done properly but if each day is lived fully & heartily, why set aside one special day to 'really live' & enjoy what you've done - similar to my attitude towards Valentines Day....do you really need one day to remind you there are people in this world who are extremely important to you & you should tell them you love them?
But, alas, I digress. After work, I moseyed home, had a little something to eat & put on my dancin shoes, fancy pants (which also happen to be my comfortable, every day, kickin around in pants) & made my way out the door, off to Waegook Cook - a sort of local Ex-pat bar which is apparently quite popular but my only other experience there was less than stellar. However, the need to socialize while having comprehensible conversations chalk full of complete sentences in the English language trumped my hesitation for a return visit....besides, I'm a good sport when it comes to second chances!
As I made my way towards downtown, I was more than happy to huff it a bit until I found a cab, which probably wound up being about two miles but it was certainly a lovely night for a walk as the air was crisp but refreshing & I was in great spirits. By the time I was able to successfully hail a cab, communicate through various hand signals, shoddy Korean & the translating dictionary on my phone, arrive at said destination & order my celebratory birthday cocktail, it was just past midnight (don't usually get done w/work until about 10 on Friday). In reality, though, I imagined tables full of folks stateside raising a pint in my honor, so I worried little about the time & had already intended to make a weekend of it!
Upon entering the bar, every head tends to turn & gander in your direction; likely to see if it's an old friend or a newbie....in my case the bar was about a third full, as opposed to the other time when it was jam packed. From behind the bar, the owner, Pieter, immediately saw me, invited me over for a cordial handshake, hello & initial pleasantries welcoming me to 'The Cook.' As is often the case w/many owners of bars, they tend to be hearty drinkers & sometimes don't always remember meeting or talking to certain people, so I didn't mention we'd already met, sort of, the last time I was there. Regardless, he asked how long I'd been in Gumi, how I liked it & whether or not I had received my Ex-pat Jaeger shot. For those of you unseasoned liquor aficionados, it's essentially a thick, blackish, deer blood sort of substance that often tastes as putrid as it sounds. I've indulged in many a Jaeger shot but never something I consciously rush up & order. Never the less, I'm not one to turn down a shot for the right reasons & this could certainly be considered one of those 'right reasons.'
Now there's a bit of a birthday tradition at 'The Cook.' Basically, everyone gets a sparkler, the lights are turned down even lower than usual, the whole bar lights said sparklers & proceed to serenade the birthday kids. Fortunately, I wasn't alone in my day of revelry, as there was an older gentleman surrounded by a table of rowdy Koreans who also happened to be celebrating. Basically, shots were had, sparklers were twirled around with relentless fervor and the celebratory birthday tune filled the bar subsequently as toasts were made, photos were snapped & the dancing resumed.
I successfully avoided much of the hodgepodgery & small talk but there was one severely drunken fellow who stumbled up to the bar, ungracefully hailed the attention of the bar maid, who proceeded to ask, 'Jason, are you sure you need another one? You can barely stand!' To which he replied, 'Of course, the wife let me out tonight, so dammit if I'm not going to make the most of it!' Well, that's pretty much what his slurred rambling sounded like to me, anyway. Of course, without a moment to react, Jason turns to me, extends his fist in preparation of the seemingly mandatory 'bro-code' traditional fist bump, which unfortunately I decide should be a harmless gesture, so I obliged. This, obviously opened the floodgates & within minutes, I had a new best friend & was invited to join him at a table with his friends - a couple of haggard looking South African ladies (Tonya & Elina) in their mid 40's. Oh, let the good times roll, son!
As the night progressed, Jason stumbled sporadically throughout the bar & found myself conversing with the South Africans about Korea, their experiences here the past few years, a bit of philosophy & the like. All of the good-natured conversations & insight into what to expect during the rest of my time here. Time was spent on the dance floor & mingling about the small but cordial crowd & needless to say, the night slipped away. Before I knew it, last call was made a few times & I finally felt the need to take my gin soaked liver back to the abode for a much needed slumber.
Phone numbers were exchanged for connecting on future endeavors & adventures. As I was leaving, Pieter's wife, Helena, thanked me for coming in, inquired about the nights events & if I enjoyed myself. Tonya, was at the bar ordering another whiskey/water (yes, last call tends to drag on for quite some time, apparently) & mentioned to Helena it was my birthday. Upon hearing this news, she was a bit chagrined I hadn't mentioned it to anyone, so as to properly help me celebrate. I mentioned it wasn't a big deal but had enjoyed myself regardless.
At that point, more shots arrived while she quickly ran to the other end of the bar to grab a few things. As is also customary at 'The Cook,' any birthday patron supposedly receives a steak dinner....crazy, cause I was completely content w/a few shots, the sparkler showcase & sing along - even though, again, I hadn't told anyone it was my birthday! She insisted I come back soon & she would make me a steak but before I was able to bid farewell, she handed me another shot, a can of Korea's version of Red Bull (Hot6ix), a Nietzsche Reader (she has a small library/book exchange in the bar), yet another shot & a sparkler for the road.
By this time, it was probably well past 4:30 in the morning & I had a lovely hike ahead of me, unless I was able to find one of the few cabs still on the road. As luck would have it, after about 15 minutes of walking, I was able to flag down a cabbie, gave him my address (written in Korean & English - which I carry w/me in my passport just for situations like this). I did my best to let him know I knew the way & to let me 'point him there' but this was a fruitless endeavor as he was frantically punching Korean symbols into his GPS while I giggled childishly to myself, thinking how great the inability to fluidly communicate was.
After a few minutes, we were on our way (in the direction I had initially pointed) & I quickly became a huge fan of the guy. He must be a part time race car driver cause he displayed a wicked prowess for hairpin turns, fast straightaways & the casual red light 'roll through.' In no time, I successfully guided him down a few side streets as he didn't understand he could drop me off by the Big Mart & I could huff it the last couple blocks. Either way, he got me to my apartment safe & sound, was tickled to death by my generosity w/tipping him (cab drivers are employees of the City of Gumi, therefore fares are very inexpensive & nobody tips), as well as bequeathing him w/my highly coveted birthday sparkler!
As a grown man who readily knows when he's had too much to drink, I should have curbed my urge to jump online & check Facebook but of course I didn't. This decision led to many random messages on people's FB pages as well as a couple of perfectly timed Skype calls to friends in Tampa. It's always great to catch up w/them & I'm certain they found great humor in the fact it was mid afternoon there & I was soaking in gin & birthday goodness!
As some have observed over the years, when I'm drinking for certain purposes, I tend to become giddy, overtly jovial & a little free wheeling with my finances. These actions have been politely coined the 'Mista A Display.' Over the years, however, I've learned to squelch the opportunities for 'The Display' to make an appearance & rarely take a whole lot of money with me when I go out but I'm certain, on this occasion, the recipients of the Skype calls where able to bear witness to at least a slight glimmer of 'Display' goodness!
I'm quite certain everyone, throughout the evening, got a kick out of the shenanigans & I'm pretty sure I may have confused a small percentage of the native population w/some antics (nothing dangerous or rude, mom) at the bar but it appears no permanent damage was done & I successfully crawled into bed about 9:30 or 10 on Saturday morning & spent most of the day in a comatose state, with the occasional trip to the kitchen or bathroom.
Needless to say, it was a tremendously unproductive Saturday but by Sunday I was feeling spry & young once again; able to be fairly productive as well as enjoy a nice jaunt around town & a beer on the roof, watching the sun set over the mountains. Another successful, yet unique birthday in the books & memories tucked away for reminiscence on later days!
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