I'm fleeing Korea in two days. The neighbours have talked and it seems the authorities here have caught on to my questionable lifestyle. So it's time to vamoose to another country under the identity of "Miguel".
That country is Thailand.
I will spend the next month there communicating with monkeys, elephants and aquatic creatures. Together, we will laugh about fan-death, dishes, and all things Korean. Afterwards, I will head back to Toronto to communicate with corporate sharks and elephants in an attempt to secure employment.
However, I am strongly considering teaching overseas again. Perhaps Japan. You know there's a wealth of stories there. That'll be another blog ("Dan in Japan" maybe?).
So, unfortunately, we must bid adieu to Korea Kapers.
This blog will now be cast into the bowels of the information highway, only to be resurrected by someone looking up information on cheap electric fans, or a computer-friendly, spelling challenged criminal looking up "How to pull a kaper".
In my opinion, the best way to pull a 'kaper' is to live them. And I did, here in Busan, South Korea.
To my readers and fans, thanks for keeping me kompany along the way. May everyday be a kaper for you too.
Dan
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Lost Koreans
No, there isn't a Korean version of the TV show "LOST". But there are some lost Koreans. Specifically, lost elderly Koreans in the Philippines.
A number of my Korean friends were talking awhile back about a growing problem in Korea. There isn't much in the way of a pension here. Tradition dictates that the first born son has to take care of their parents retirement. Thus, the demand and need for a son (FYI, my co-worker comes from a family of seven which is highly irregular here. Six girls and one boy. Guess where the boy falls? Yup, he's the last one). However, this burden for the eldest son to take care of his parents, on top of his own family, has proved too difficult financially in many cases.
The solution: Strand the parents in the Philippines.
It has been published in the papers that a number of Korean sons are taking their parents "on a trip" to the Philippines and ditching them there. Obviously, the parents didn't expect it to be a one-way trip.
I wonder how this goes down? They arrive in the Philippines and then the son says, "I have to use the washroom. I'll meet you by the postcards in the souvenir shop". Then - WHOOSH! - he high-tails it back to Korea.
Now the question is, why doesn't the parents just go back to Korea and kick the krap out of their son?!? My friends told me that these parents are so ashamed of being ditched, that they can't go home and face their family and friends. So instead, they say, "Oh well, let's live here" and take up residence in the Philippines. The end.
Well, at least the Philippines will have a number of Korean restaurants and delectable food to choose from.
How do you say "Delicious kimchi!" in Filipino? Anyone?
A number of my Korean friends were talking awhile back about a growing problem in Korea. There isn't much in the way of a pension here. Tradition dictates that the first born son has to take care of their parents retirement. Thus, the demand and need for a son (FYI, my co-worker comes from a family of seven which is highly irregular here. Six girls and one boy. Guess where the boy falls? Yup, he's the last one). However, this burden for the eldest son to take care of his parents, on top of his own family, has proved too difficult financially in many cases.
The solution: Strand the parents in the Philippines.
It has been published in the papers that a number of Korean sons are taking their parents "on a trip" to the Philippines and ditching them there. Obviously, the parents didn't expect it to be a one-way trip.
I wonder how this goes down? They arrive in the Philippines and then the son says, "I have to use the washroom. I'll meet you by the postcards in the souvenir shop". Then - WHOOSH! - he high-tails it back to Korea.
Now the question is, why doesn't the parents just go back to Korea and kick the krap out of their son?!? My friends told me that these parents are so ashamed of being ditched, that they can't go home and face their family and friends. So instead, they say, "Oh well, let's live here" and take up residence in the Philippines. The end.
Well, at least the Philippines will have a number of Korean restaurants and delectable food to choose from.
How do you say "Delicious kimchi!" in Filipino? Anyone?
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