Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

I think people sitting at home waiting for their visa to arrive are not fully aware of how much they use TV to kill time. Once they get here, especially if they are on a split shift, they find they can only watch the same B movie so many times in a month before they get bored.

I think it would be helpful to make suggestions to newbies (especially prospective newbies) for hobbies that can take up time during that 3 or 4 hour gap between classes.

1. Learn to cook from scratch. There are millions of recipes on the internet. Lots of (but not all) ingredients are available here, but take some time to locate. It is not time efficient to travel 2 hours by bus to get one teaspoon of oregano for spaghetti sauce. You do have to plan these things. Most are limited to 2 burners and no oven, so that has to be considered as well. Just as an idea of what is possible: Last weekend I made a Moroccan stew with chicken and potatoes.

2. Learn to paint/draw. I have zero skill in drawing beyond stick figures on the whiteboard. However, I am an artiste. Water paints and acrylic paints are available. Download designs off the internet and paint fabulous 'murals' for your apartment.

3. If you are even more artistically challenged than me, take up jigsaw puzzles. You can even frame your results and decorate your shoe box apt with great art.

What other truly time-consuming activities can you suggest? [/code]

[jinks]

I tried jigsaws, but they colonise the dining table for far too long (yes, even with those roll-up felt things). I don't do split shifts, but I do have lots of spare time and no TV, so I am something of an expert on killing time.
Ya-ta's drawing and painting suggestion is a good one, but for sure-fire results - try origami!

[jlb]

What about reading, studying Korean or doing an online masters?

[mehmeh]

Nintendo DS

[Whistleblower]

www.chess.com

Play live chess.

[alpope23]

Internet porn

See how long it takes you to get to 80 GB. Then erase it all and start over!

[peppermint]

for at least a couple of months, my thing was to get on random local buses and stay on them 'til I either saw something interesting or went full circle. Even if you don't discover anything wonderful its a cheap and easy way to get your bearings in a new place

[The_Eyeball_Kid]

Go to Nakwon. Buy an instrument. Learn to play it.

I have found the following to be true...

Cheap and easy to learn from scratch:

Blues harp. Jew's harp. Tin whistle. Musical egg. Singing. Human beatbox.

Medium cost and medium difficulty:

Electric guitar (you can pick a guitar and amp combo for about $200). Bass. Mandolin. Ukulele. Bowed saw. Keyboard. Flute. Banjo.

Difficult and possibly costly:

Classical guitar. Flamenco guitar. Violin. Saxophone. Trumpet. In fact, anything brass. Any of the Asian zithers (geyageum, dan tranh, etc). Sitar.
Digeridoo.

There is only one rule that you need to remember: DO NOT BUY A DJEMBE.

[mindmetoo]

Did someone mention "Following around women"?

[sojourner1]

Hike local mountain trails.

[whatever]

Mutual masturbation.

[Scotticus]

http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/69825/detail/

[Don Calliente]

Learn to speak Nilo-Saharan; an African dialect promenant in Chad, Northern Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda.

[seoulsucker]

Get your a$$ in the gym 3 days a week. Wait 2 months, look in mirror, flex, repeat. Having the time and energy to get in the best shape of my life has been one of the most rewarding benefits of living in Korea.

[Scotticus]

http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/69825/detail/