The Field Trip

I remember those days. You could feel freedom energy flowing over the playground before the morning bell rang. You knew that today was going to be better than any other day of the month, or possibly year. You knew, even as a kindergartner, there was a chance for this day to change your life. You knew, there was a chance the bus ride was going to be the only good part, but that would be enough to enjoy the day.

A field trip my friends. A day of freedom...For the kids, that is.

On Monday, I went on my fourth field trip of my career as a kindergarten teacher. They generally include about 30 of the best behaved kids and it only lasts maybe four hours, travel time included. But on this particular day, we ("we" meaning me and 20 female Korean teachers) escorted 300-hundred 3, 4 and 5 year old's to a park. We left at 9:30 and got back at 4:45 in the afternoon.

The freedom energy was definitely flowing through these kids. At any given moment one would simply get up and make a run for it. From the outside, it would appear they are escaping. But most of the time they were simply chasing a pigeon, dog or plastic bag. When this happened, the token white guy, me, was asked to chase. I must have ran 30 50-yard sprints that day. Toward the end of the day, it became a game for the older kids. As much as I enjoyed running and playing (the first four times), I totally crashed around two. I kept telling the kids it was snack time so they would sit down and then I would lay on the grass next to them as they massaged my back. In Korean culture, if you ask for a massage, they start hitting you "firmly" on the back. It feels incredible when 8 kids are doing it one time.

On the bus ride back, my seat partner, 5-year-old Soo-jin, slept on my shoulder as we rode the bus home. I realized that is exactly how it should be. On field trip days kids need to feel that freedom but also need to feel that love only a teacher is a position to give.

...

Anyway, I made it a mission to take pics of the cutest kids at the school. I ran out of battery but I think I got enough here for you to get your fill. There are more on my Flickr page.


{Lining up outside the school before boarding the bus...Hectic.}


{She is asleep before we even leave the parking lot.}


{Little Rio. Absurdly cute.}


{So many tiny Korean people.}


{See the panic in my co-teacher's face? Haha, I like this pic.}


{His name is Doreen. I told him it was a girl's name but he refuses to change it. I admire that.}


{Aiden. Tiny body, huge head, really smart.}


{Rania, already looking like a 42-year-old Korean women.}




{Cindy.}


{Cloe.}


{Olivia, Helena and Leah. I like work because of these tiny people.}


{My life.}


{Classic.}


{Diana, on the right, loves me. No questions asked, when I came into class, she just loved me.}


{Jamie. I love this girl for two reasons: she acts and looks like my good friend Jamie who works out here too, and whom I have known since sixth grade. But also, because she is rocking a nice snot hanger.}


{Jessica. Grumps.}


{Jun. Loves to repeat everything I say.}


{Don't know this kid but I know that haircut. It's called the, "oops! Oh well, he's only four" haircut...Man that kid behind him does not bearded teachers.}




{I named this girl myself. Mary...After my girlfriend Liz's little sister.}






{This is Soo-jin seconds before her head fell onto my shoulder.}



...get Lost my friends.

I'm Good

I'm good people.

Every time you see the word "good" in this post, you need to read it like, "goood." You need to say it like the old-time surfer that looks at a glassy surface of ocean with a few decent waves coming in on a mellow dawn session at his local beach and says, "Dude, today is gonna be goood."

You need to read it and say it your head with a guttural, from the stomach, vibe driven and endless horizon in sight, "good."

Understand? Cool.

Well, life is good.

I have been in Seoul for six months now and it is really turning into a beautiful place for me. As the cherry blossoms bloomed last week, so did my realization that this move was totally the right one.

My job: Gooood.
My friends: Goooood.
My Little Lady: Gooood.
My money: Goooood.

Everything is good my friends.

Liz and I are in a really good place right now. We have joined a church out here, and I must say, it's simply a place of love, filled with really gracious people. It's been remarkably positive and has really allowed me direction in life. For the first time, I don't feel like a lofty idealized writer wondering what big break I can hope for.

No people, I'm good. And that is all that matters right now.

I just wanted to say thank you to all of the friends and family that send love. It's really needed and appreciated.

My blogging will pick up, don't worry, but all in good time.

...get Lost my friends.

The Elder Trash Talk

So I'm walking down the street and this guy yells at me. It's a out of the corner of my ear and I turn to get the full version.

"What?" I ask in English.

"Why you no shave it?" an elderly Korean man grumbles back.

"What?" I repeat, somewhat sharply.

He then proceeds to make a shaving motion with his hand on his face.

I chuckled. "Ehh, it's cold outside."

As I turned to continue my walk I realized this moment will forever standout in my beard bearing life. I've had the thing, on and off, since I was 17. I have plenty of stories about it's positives and negatives and this one my friends, is both.

He heckled me for one, and two, he looked terribly disappointed when I answered his question. I could practically hear him calling me dirty western hippie under his breath as he walked away in disgust.

Buuuut, I could also hear myself telling a story about the time got heckled in Korea for having a beard. And that makes me smile. A big, bushy, burly and untamed smile.
{Susan and me eating mandoo. I picked this photo because it looks like we are staring the guy down. Unfortunately, Susan was not there to stick up for me. This pic was taken about three weeks prior to the beard heckle.}

...get Lost my friends.

Costco to Flee Market

A few Saturdays ago Liz and I ventured across Seoul and landed at Costco, then at a flee market. This type of endeavor happens often with us. I am fortunate to be paired up with a mover in life. Liz gets the shakes if inside when the sun is up and the day of the week starts with an 'S'.

I shot this footage with my Lumix GF1 in a very innovative style. I'm something of a pioneer on vimeo. If you look at other videos, they are shot with nice lighting, good angles, smooth transition moments and a general understanding of what pleases the eye.

Ha!...I went a different direction.

I'm using, and again this is my invention, the shaky-handed-frequent-focus-turn-the-camera-for-no-reason-mode. It's wildly entertaining.

Untitled from Mark Ratto on Vimeo.

The music's good though.

...get Lost my friends.

The Stand-off

Everyday I walk home from work and observe. I live in a very dense, old and family oriented part of Seoul which means people of all ages are constantly shuffling through and along the streets and alley ways.

But the most entertaining shufflers are the old guys.

Old guys in Korea are called "a-ja-shees". Considering respect in Korea is given to people older than you, some of these old guys experience nothing but respectful gestures all day because they are the oldest guys around.

But what happens when one old guy confronts another old guy? In my neighborhood, it turns into a good 'ol Mexican standoff.

A few weeks ago on my walk home I notice an ajashee ahead of me walking his bike. He was moving very slowly but with dignity. The kind of dignity that says, "I'm walking slowly because the place I need to be, can wait." However, not in front of him was another ajashee pulling a cart with some recyclables he must have picked up for some extra money.

Both of them were on the same side of the street, both walking fairly slowly and both looking about 86-years-old, or higher.

As I walked I noticed neither was making any move to avert the oncoming old guy. Both stayed the course. And both, with dead set sincerity, were looking the other one directly in the eye. They were headed on a collision course.


(Cart ajashee) (bike ajashee)
---------------> <-----------------

I slowed my walk. I wanted to see this. At ten feet apart, I thought for sure the bike guy would move. No move. At five feet apart I figured, without a doubt, the cart guy would at least pause. No pause.

I was almost caught up with them when they literally bumped into each other and stopped they're forward progress. A yelling match ensued. They're walks were morbidly slow, but the insults flew fast. I am not fluent in Korean, but my best guess at a translation goes as follows:

"Hey, you, get out of my way!"

"Your way? I've lived here for 50 YEARS!"

"Well, I'm older, so move."

"Ooohh no, I'm older. Get out of the way."

"You fool, look at my wrinkles, I have more."

"Don't be an idiot cart puller, my wrinkles are deeper."

"OK, what year were you born? I was born in '21."

"Ha! I was born in '19!"

And that is all it took.

When I passed them they were in full confrontation mode. But once I passed, I looked back and saw the gracious loser. The cart ajashee made the move around the oncoming elder. He even looked back with a smile and a wave.

This story made me laugh but also put many parts of this culture into perspective. It's all about respect and learning when or who to give it to or when and how to receive it graciously.

Cool, huh?

...get Lost my friends.