Green Eggs and English

I have to admit that I have been really leased with this week. What has really tickled me pink so to speak is the tremendous number of wonderful people who have taken the time to stop by and read this blog. I have of course spread the word about it through my two you Tube channels, Facebook and Twitter. I’m a little surprised sometimes with some of you great folks who have been following me for a long time on You Tube and were completely unaware of this blog. Better late than never! Welcome to the party.

Recently, on my jlandkev You Tube channel I took the time to promote an American English teaching living and working in Seoul, South Korea. His you Tube handle is GreenEggsAndHamster and he makes some great videos about his day-to-day life as an English teacher in Seoul. As my knowledge of what goes on in Korea becomes more and more second hand, I try to point curious people with questions in the direction of guys like GreenEggsAndHamster who are there, on the ground so to speak.

This is a really cool video he did about the day in a life of an English teacher (in time-lapse). I think it’s really well done!


Again, thank you everyone for stopping by and spending some time on A Canadian in Kobe. There is definitely a lot more to come!

8 Years in Asia

Next month will be my nine year anniversary of coming to Asia. Now of course there was a one year break thrown in there when I came back to Canada to get my teaching credentials, but I have lived eight out of the last nine years in Asia. This was never my plan. In late 2001, when I hatched my plan to move here, I was working as a software developer in Canada and only planned to come for one year. After that one year, I would head back to Canada, refreshed, travel bug having been fed and resume my career as a 3D modeler. Eight years later I am now a certified teacher and still here!

I spent my first five years bouncing between three cities in South Korea and for the last (almost) three years here in Kobe, Japan.

In this post, wanted to write about the Kevin who arrived in Asia in February 2002 versus the Kevin who lives in Asia in January 2011.


Then (2002): I had a small apartment in Ilsan, South Korea.
Now (2011): I have a bigger apartment in Kobe, Japan.

Then (2002): I was getting pumped up for the World Cup coming to Korea/Japan.
Now (2011): No World Cup this year. Could care less about football/soccer.

Then (2002): Was struggling with crappy Korean language skills.
Now (2011): I am struggling with crappy Japanese skills.

Then: Was single and looking for love.
Now: Happily married with a beautiful son.

Then: Ate out at restaurants most nights.
Now: Eat at home every night.

Then: Eating out at restaurants was really cheap.
Now: It's not so cheap.

Then: Lived in a city with few fellow foreigners and very little English around me.
Now: Live in a city with many foreigners and English everywhere.

Then: Was awe-struck by everything I saw.
Now: Somewhat awe-struck, but not so much.

Then: Was 26 years old.
Now: 35 years old.

Then: I trained in Tae Kwon Do.
Now: I enjoy long-distance running.

Then: Worked from 4:00pm to 10:00pm.
Now: Work from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Then: Smoked heavily and went to bars several times a week.
Now: Don't smoke, rarely go to a bar.

Then: Kimchi everywhere.
Now: No kimchi.

Then: Was told everyday by locals why Japan was bad and America wasn't much better.
Now: Simply don't don't hear that sort of talk.

Then: Had a crappy boss.
Now: Have a boss that respects me a lot.

Then: Guys desperately tried to show me that they were stronger than me at the gym.
Now: Guys don't even notice me at the gym (they're to busy working out).

Then: Everyone around me spoke Korean.
Now: Everyone around me speaks Japanese.

Then: Wasn't a very productive/responsible person.
Now: Am both!

Then: Thought Korean food was great.
Now: Think Japanese food is great.

Then: Kim Jong-il sucked.
Now: He still sucks.

Then: Traveled a lot around Asia.
Now: Save up for trips back to Canada.

Then: Think about the short term.
Now: Thinking about the long term.

Then: Was a PC guy.
Now: Am a Mac guy.

Then: No such thing as You Tube.
Now: I'm a You Tube partner.

Then: Missed Tim Hortons.
Now: Miss Tim Hortons.


Life is different indeed. I may be still in Asia after many years, but as you can see, life for me in Japan is completely different than life for me in Korea. Some of that of course has to do with the time (2002 vs 2011), some has to do with the culture and of course, some has to do with my age.

Long story short; life was good then and life is good now. I suppose that the life I lead is just completely different!

Happy Reading :)

I Love You Jimmy Dean

Not to be confused with James Dean of "Rebel Without a Cause" fame, Jimmy Dean is a brand of American sausages. I came across these awesome little fellas a few weeks ago at my local supermarket in Kobe (Port Island Daiei) and stocked up. I bought four or five packs and threw them in my freezer. They are so delicious and totally take me back home in a manner of speaking!


It's quite easy to buy foreign food in this part of Japan. there are so many expats living in the area and Japanese people with an interest in all things foreign that there are many shops that see this sort of thing. I suppose I am pretty lucky for that.

When I first arrived in Asia in early February 2002, I lived in a small city north of Seoul in Korea. When I lived there I was happy about the fact that I could buy ketchup in Korea. As far as other foreign foods went, I was pretty much out of luck. My friends and I would occasionally make the trek into Seoul and the foreign ghetto area, Itaewon. There was a place called Gel's Deli (probably spelled that wrong), which is now long gone(I think). That's where we would buy our very overpriced foreign treats. Now I've heard that there is a much more readily available stock of foreign food goods throughout Korea.

To be honest, I rarely buy foreign food in Japan. I love Japanese food and my wife and I normally cook all of our meals at home. It is great however, to have the option if I want it.