Korean Complete Extremes Of Service!

Yesterday, I was talking on my phone and the screen went blank! Shit, I thought.....this is the last thing I need to do on my week off, is to have to take it and have all the nonesense of having no phone and all that....blah blah blah.

Off I went to the LG store and they proceeded to tell me to go to the LG Service Centre. I had been there before and it is quite close to my house. I asked them, "Shinyongsan, right?" They said yes and off I went.

I got there in about 10 minutes, but the place had moved. I tried to get directions from the people that had stalls beside the old place, but to no avail. Their English was non-comprehensible....the only thing I remember is....out, out and look......whatever!

I ended up about a 10 minute walk at the big, massive, LG Telecom Building. I went to reception and asked if they knew where the service centre was. Of course, no-one knew and I waited there the best of 25 mintues until finally, the girl was clever enough to get a hold of the phone number and I talked to someone from the place.

Unbelievable really when you think that this is the main headquarters and no-one has a number to link to the service centre. I understand that this is another part of the company, but you would think that each part would at least have an idea where to get all the numbers of the different LG stores and centres. T.I. K. THIS IS KOREA!!!!!!!

His English was passable, but still a bit hard to understand. Anyway, I got him to tell the girl the directions in Korean and she could write them down and then I could give them to a taxi driver. I did this and low and behold 5 minutes in a taxi.....I could have walked.....we got to Yongsan, which I know very well. I bought my ipod there. I walked across the street and the LG Service Centre was in the basement of the Kookmin Bank Building. It is actually closer to where I live now!

Got inside and the woman gave me a ticket and I filled in my name and address. I had the original contract with me from when I bought the phone. It was only 4 months ago, actually.

My number was called and I got up to the window and the man asked me what was wrong. I speak enough Korean to be able to basically explain a little.....he understood. He tested it right there and then and said there was a chip problem and if I could wait 30 minutes, he would repair it there and then. Of course! I said. Couldn't believe that they would service it there and then. They were so nice and so professional. I watched him pull my phone apart and then watched him go over to another fella and get something soldered. I sat away from the technician on a bench, listening to my ipod.

25 mintues later and true to his word, the tech came over and handed me my phone along with his business card. What great service, I must say. From one extreme to another. From being totally peeved off at the lack of knowledge of the LG staff, to extreme happiness to have my phone back and no charge at all, either.

Went to the British Embassy today and found out that all I have to do is show my birth certificate and bring my old passport that I have with me in Korea, from 1990, 2 pics and the form and money, and I will get a new British Passport. The woman at the embassy said something about in the near future, the rules are going to stiffen up a bit and most people will be dealt with on an individual basis and will have to be approved by the office in London.

My sister, Jackie, is bringing my birth certificate to England when we visit there, so I will have it when I come back to Korea and then start the ball rolling and get my British Passport.

Went to the gym, had a good workout and feel like I have had a very productive day. Got a lot done and off to teach one of my favourite students, Alex, tonight at 7.30. Off for a nice afternoon kip now.....that is what you are supposed to do on your vacation.....things that you normally can't do when you are working......oh yeahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

This Is So Funny!

A Week Off!

I have no school until August 4th and then 10 days later on August 14th, I leave for Liverpool for 3 weeks.

Went out with Chris last night to see a rock band in Hongdae. It was almost finished by the time we got there, but we got to see a couple of songs played. Jenny had been singing earlier, but unfortunately we didn't get to see here.

Chris was quite funny at the end of the night. He has spent the last week watching Ali-G and Borat, so he has the accent and the words memorized. He was speaking to these two girls that we met with his Borat accent and they were just believing him all the way. They were Korean like, but it was still funny. He was going on about having a cow in a field and also a t.v. and remote control.....off his head, really.......haha.

No plans as such for the week. Just gonna chill and go to the gym. Have to go to the British Embassy to check out the rules for living in England as I plan to go to Teacher's College there next year. Don't know if I have to apply for a passport or there is some special visa that I have to get, as I was born there and left there when I was 15 years old.

Starting to get a little excited about seeing Mum, Dad, our Jackie, Katie, Jamie and my son, Tyler. I am excited for him, as it will be his first time overseas from Canada. I think he will love it and it will definitely give him some more perspective about his dad's side of the family and about how people live different lives on the same planet. England really is so different in so many ways from North America. He will see all of that and I think it will make him think more about his future and hopefully make him want to start travelling more.....let's see, though!

Having been blogging much, as I have been a lazy arse. Going to try and blog a little more in the next little while before I go to England. I was laughing with my sister as she was telling me that she cleaned some 'junk' out of her house. We got talking about photo albums and then we started laughing about the new cameras and gadgets that we have nowadays, but don't use them as much as we used to.....lol.

Fact of life, I think. Still nice to have them at special moments. I will be taking lots of pics when I am in England, so stay posted.

I think this time in our lives is one of the best ever, as we have so much more ways of communication with each other. Living overseas, I never feel isolated from anyone. The only thing that I have to say to anyone that is not internet savvy is that you are losing out big time. From getting pics of birthdays or other events in my family's and friends' lives, it is awesome. Facebook is one of the best things out there right now and I would recommend it to anyone to have a go on it, even if you are skeptical. You will see that it can reconnect you with some of your old friends or help you stay in touch with your family and existing friends, so much easier. You don't need to type an email address and it so easy to send messages, never mind all the fun things that are on there. The geography game is awesome and teaches you loads of cities and countries that you wouldn't have a clue about otherwise.

I am off to the gym now to have a good workout again, then out again tonight to meet Chris who is also on vacation this week.

Youngsters Rule The Roost At Britain's Got Talent 2008

Check This Out!

A very interesting video about some of the origins of famous football clubs' songs!!!!

http://publish.vx.roo.com/espnstar/flashmain/?vxSiteId=1458d2e1-b8e3-4d73-8b76-e8420617f8b8&vxChannel=whats%20on%20TV&vxClipId=2168_ESSENT_anthems&vxBitrate=300

Come On Korea! Think About It!!!!!!!!!

It is funny, but so very common to see. What is it, you ask? Signs and any other kinds of media in English that make absolutely no sense at all and have not been checked by simply asking a native speaker if it is okay. It really is as simple as that, but due to the stubborness of the Korean culture, it is an ongoing facet of their lives. They don't care! As quite a few Koreans said to me, " We understand what it means, so it's alright!"

So carry on then...... who cares if the world looks at you and thinks you are as thick as a plank......life is too short to get carried away about what is right and what is wrong, but with the amount of money that the Koreans sink into English education, you would think that having correct English signs and phrases in public places, would not only teach the children and the adults what is right and wrong, but would also be the sensible thing to do!

Stop making sense, Paul! Stop going on your tirades, English teacher!

T. I. K = This Is Korea!!!!!!! If Korea wants to seriously get better in all aspects of English, it might sound ridiculous, but this could be a start......eh, eh........what do you think? THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!

Hope you like some of the pics of the stupid and sometimes funny English signs. It really is not that funny in essence, though. I for one, wish that there was someone that could just figure out what to do to improve it and just do it............