Day 189: Got Guitar?

Ahhhh...another Friday already. Man, this week just flew by! That's two weeks in a row now that have just whipped on by. So cool! After work today I went with Addie to Juyeop Station to get some photos done for her cause she's going to get her alien card tomorrow morning. After we finished that we decided to go and see a movie. We went and saw 'Hellboy' which actually, I thought, was pretty good. I like the 'super heroes-full of special effects' movie genre and this one definitely qualifies.

After the movie we took a taxi back to the village and I was walking Addie back to her apartment we ran into Jake and Dennis outside on one of the patios found at the many little watering holes in our neighbourhood. Jake (and his girlfriend Shannon) live in the apartment below me where Rick & Tracey used to live, and work with Pauline at Juyeop. Dennis just recently got hired on at Juyeop as well and both are super nice, exceptionally friendly guys. Addie and I decided to pull up a chair and have a beer with them. Not long later Anthony strolled on by so he joined us as well.

One thing that's interesting to know about English Teachers in Korea is that, I swear, practically everyone here plays guitar. I don't know what it is about English Teachers, but it seems like at least half not only play guitar but either brought one with them from home or have bought one since arriving. Steve used to play guitar, as did Amy, and Brad. Jake plays guitar. Dennis plays guitar. Anthony plays guitar. And hell, even Addie plays a little guitar. What, is that like a requirement to be accepted by Immigration here?

Immigration Officer (to English Teacher applicant): Do you have a passport?

Teacher: Yes.

IO: Can you speak English?

Teacher: Yes.

IO: Can you play guitar?

Teachers: Yes.

IO: Alright! Congratulations! You're hired! Here's your visa!

It's seriously odd how many people here can play guitar. Not that I'm complaining! I have no musical talent whatoever and am always really impressed by people who do so it's really great to be surrounded by so many musical people.

So anyway, Dennis & Anthony went and got their guitars and we had a little jam session while drinking beer on the patio. Jake has a really amazing singing voice (he totally fits the Canada's Maritime/East Coast Rock Star profile) and sang a couple really great songs for us. Well this didn't go over very well with the bar staff who thought that we were being too noisy (granted, it was 1am now at this point) but we kept on playing anyways cause it's not uncommon to see Koreans hootin' and hollerin' at all hours of the night here. Well Murphy's Law a few minutes later some really grouchy angry Korean man came down and started to yell at us so we deciced it would be best to hit the trails and head off in search of greener pastures.

We walked a few block up the street and then decided to have another little jam session in the middle of the street. Some Korean passerby became transfixed with Jake's singing and Dennis & Anthony's guitar playing so in no time at all we had a small audience. Suddenly some random Korean guy up the street was waving at us cause he wanted us to come and join him. We walked up the street and sat down next to this guy and his friends (they spoke a little English) and played some more. At that moment a group of about six or seven Korean 20-somethings came out of the bar and joined us took, including one guy who could really sing well and so just like that we had an imprompt band session! It was definitely one of those 'Out Of The Blue' moments! :-)

This went on for an hour or but eventually someone called the cops on us and we were told we had to be quiet. Our Korean friends actually stuck up for us and yelled at the cops which was pretty funny to see. We didn't like all the attention we were making so we went inside the little Japanese bar/restaurant and continued our music-playing inside their until the wee hours of the morning. I looked at my watch at one point and saw that it was already 4am and definitely time for me to head home to bed. I left behind my friends (including Pauline, Shannon, and Lorraine who had heard Jake's singing from down the street and joined us too) and went on home. A really great night tonight!