175) First Roll of 36

(Angie and Brandy finding something absolutely hilarious!)

Here are some highlights from the first roll of film from my G1. It is amazing how much longer it takes me to go through 36 pictures on film vs. 36 digital. I could blow through 36 digital shots in 2 minutes...but this roll lasted me over two weeks!

(Yuna showing her typical calm personality and Julie)

(Lauren showing off her new special tape)

Most of you might not even be able to tell the difference between these shots and my the ones from my other camera, but some of you may. The lens on my G1 is absolutely phenomenal, and the camera itself if great. I am really excited to keep shooting with it now that I have seen some results. I really love the tones and raw feeling with this camera and film.

(Sophie, Becky and Brandy in the windowsill- a nice little garden is outside that classroom)

(Sophie and Brandy on the walkway between buildings)

(Betty and Ariel on the walkway between buildings- and someone getting a great set of bunny ears on Ariel)

As you can see most of the shots are of the same few kids (and the same is true with other posts). It is as simple as some kids are just more photogenic than others, and they are usually the ones that produce the best pictures! They just can't seem to get enough of having their picture taken.

(Dan- showing his new tape on his face)

(Lauren- looking mischievously curious)

(Becky- she is probably one of the sweetest girls I have ever seen)

(Brandy- I am not sure what happened to this picture, but I really like it (perhaps it was a film processing error))

(Brandy...not laughing for once!)

(Sophie in some interesting lighting)

(Angie and Brandy in an uproar again)

174) Still Got It

After about four months of working in the same school…5 days a week, I still get kids coming out into the hallway shocked to see me, a real live foreigner, walking down the hall. It seems like most kids recognize me by now, but on a daily basis I still see kids startled to see me apparently not recognizing me. So startled in fact that they have to drag a friend out to see me too.

Today I walked into a large public middle school for a meeting. I was with two Korean people from my company, and made a comment about how I was a bit concerned about the reaction I will likely get from these kids. Concerned because this is the age when kids are a bit less innocent, and a bit braver. This is also the primary age group watching the TV show I used to be a part of.

I stepped into the hallway just before class was let out, and when it did get out I had to leave shortly after. I couldn’t even look at the kids I was so embarrassed- there was about a 10 foot perimeter where everyone gathered and stared at me. First came the gossip to each other in Korean, and then came the English catch phrases, and then came the celebrity mob-mentality. Apparently some of those kids watched a lot of TV and one or some of them recognized me, which only made matters worse.

It is hard to be sympathetic (understanding) to Korean kids in these situations because of the way I grew up. But I have to remember not every one grew up (grows up) in a multi-cultural country where the site of different races is commonplace. I am always initially shocked and sometimes upset or frustrated by these situations until I remember how short the foreigner history is in this country. And at the same time it can also be pretty humorous and entertaining to draw that kind of attention.

173) Due to Technical Difficulties

Sorry for the pause in posts, I had some computer problems. Luckily it turns out it was nothing serious, and apparently I had Apple Care.



Everything else has been going well except that now my cell phone stopped working. I’m not exactly sure why, but hopefully I can get it fixed soon. It’s crazy to see how much I depend on and use my phone, and not having that sure has had an impact!





About three days ago I bought a new camera. A couple of my Korean friends are photographers, and they always rave about a certain camera- over the new and digital- they say their favorite is the Contax G2. The G2 is an upgrade from the G1, but they have very similar features and functions, and perhaps most importantly the same lens line-up. So I went with the G1 (mostly due to price difference).



I am still learning how to use it, but for the most part it is very basic and simple to use. It is a film camera, a range finder, and produces some extraordinary image quality.



Last week I had the privilege to go to the Symphony. I love those types of things, and I am really trying to make a point to go more often. One of my friends father works for one of the largest TV broadcasting companies in Korea, and past the tickets on to me, free of charge! So not only was it a great show, but it is was a cheap night!