We're not in Kansas anymore: Notes from the Korean Peninsula

"I shall make that trip. I shall go to Korea."

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Okay, so I came here under slightly different circumstances, but the past week has been one of the most wonderfully bizarre of my life. I even had to read the title of this post again. I did make this trip: last Friday, I flew from Heathrow airport, via Dubai, arriving in Incheon Airport just outside Seoul at 10pm. A four hour bus journey later and I was in the city that will act as my home for the coming year, Gwangju.

You can try to prepare yourself for something like this. I read a lot of literature, books and online articles. I thought I had a decent grasp of Korean culture and its people before I left. I was wrong and I am truly delighted I am. So far, this country has been overwhelming in every respect: the food, the friendliness of the people, the weather, the LIGHTS! The journey from the airport, driving the length of the country's coastline was my first eye-opener. It was the wee hours of a Sunday morning, yet the place was lit up like a Christmas tree... everywhere. Even the crosses on top of the churches are in neon.

Next day, I went exploring, taking in the sounds, smells and sounds of an alien culture: struggling to grasp the reality... this isn't a holiday. I live and work here for twelve months. It took a while for this to sink in. In fact, I still don't think it fully has. There's a real normality about my days that makes the experience utterly surreal. One minute I'm in my apartment eating cereal, listening to We Were Promised Jetpacks, the next, I step out my door into an Oriental street market.

Yesterday, I woke up early to watch the Election 2010 online. I slipped into a Dimbleby induced comfort zone. The next thing, the onion cart rolls by (the onion vendor who drives around the streets at silly o'clock selling his wares, complete with a loud speaker fixed on top of his pickup, playing pre-recorded advertising-yell in Korean. It's a bit creepy, actually. Slightly Orwellian). My thoughts turned to Mogwai: "Yes! I am a long way from home."

My days are structured (get up, go to work, go for dinner, yadda yadda), which I think adds to the surrealism. Coupled with crippling jetlag (four hours sleep a night: max. And I thought it made you sleepy?), the first week has been a struggle, but I've enjoyed it nonetheless. This year will be an amazing experience. There are people at home I will miss. They know who they are, but I have to make the most of it.

I'm having a tough time deciding what to do with this blog. There isn't much by the way of live music in Gwangju (although I will take every attempt to see what I can. Actually, I am going to see a band called Angry Bear tonight, update to come later), so I guess it has morphed into something of a travel journal. An online account of one ginger man's attempt to get to grips with a culture as alien to him as any in the world. I will also keep the blog updated with published work (I will be writing for a number of Korean publications and probably some at home).

But now, if you'll excuse me, it's 20+ degrees outside. The sun is shining, and I've got a mountain climb.

Video - Mogwai: Yes I Am A Long Way From Home

Stuart Braithwaite Tweets His Top Ten Albums of the Decade

I sometimes wonder why I bother with a Twitter account. I don’t tweet much; rarely learn anything interesting from it, and use up hours of my time that could undoubtedly be spent doing something much more productive. And then I find something like this.

I’m sitting at my computer, wondering what The Guardian has to say for itself and reading inane tweets from the Brighton Argus, and a steady stream of tweet updates start coming through from @plasmatron... aka Stuart Braithwaite from Mogwai.

The first one read:

"Sponsored by mars bar ice cream here is my top 10 albums the of the decade of records that probably won't be on anyone else's lists"

My senses were alerted, I began noting them down thinking they’d fit perfectly in the Five of the Best series. And since it is Stuart, why not let him have the ten? I’m not sure what the law is about regurgitating people’s tweets, so if I’m in the wrong, somebody let me know!

Ten of the Best: Stuart Braithwaite’s (unedited) Top Ten Albums of the 2000s

10. Desormais - iambroken and remade iambroken (total glitch masterpiece)

9. Alan Sparhawk - solo guitar (Alan from Low's make instrumental album of the decade)

8. Super Furry Animals - mwng (only welsh language album by SFA, their best record)

7. Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish I Were An Eagle

6. Lightning Bolt - Ride the Skies

5. Afrirampo - A (amazing band featuring 2 girls from Osaka)

4. Growing - The Sky Runs into the Sea (one of my favourite bands goings debut)

3. Arab Strap - monday at the hug and pint

2. Jack Rose - Red Horse White Mule (mind blowing guitar player)

1. Malcolm Middleton - 5:14 Fluoxytine Seagull Alcohol John Nicotine (low on laughs but a truly amazing record. for a ginger)

Mogwai - New Paths To Helicon Part One