Going to the Gym

I've finally got my fat behind back into the gym again. Don't me wrong, I'm not enormous or anything, but I'd deifnitely like to be smaller again. Plus, when it gets to the point where your friends are giving your ass nicknames, you know it's time to hop back on the eliptical. I figure 3-4 times a week should do the trick.

I found a "cultural center" in my area about a five minute walk from my place and signed up for the monthly membership. At 44,000 won a month, it's a steal for sure. The cultural center has everything from a library to concert halls and a swimming pool. Unfortunately, none of that is included with the monthly membership, but that's okay because I can still hop in the pool for a few bucks if I want.

The facilities in the gym itself are pretty decent. It's only a year or two old so all of the machines are basically still new looking and in tip top shape. They've got about 20 treadmills and 20 bikes all equipped with their own individual flatscreen TVs so that's nice. The two channels of English television are a Godsend. It's too bad that the elipticals don't have the TVs too, because that's where I spend most of my time. Ah well, that's what MP3 players are for I suppose.

So anyway, back in 2007 when I last belonged to a gym in Korea, I had a bunch of foreign friends who were also members. We would go work out together and have eliptical races and do other ridiculous, but entertaining things that made working out more fun. They were kind of like my security blanket from the trainers who worked there. The trainers were pretty cool. They spoke some broken English and seemed to like us just fine. However, as terrible as it sounds, I didn't really want to talk to them. After spending an 8 hour day in the classroom, trying to decipher broken English while speaking slowly and miming, I just wanted to work out in peace or with friends. Sometimes you need quiet time, or a chance to have a conversation that doesn't leave you exhausted. So, I would put on my headphones and just ignore everything around me. If the trainers came over and tried to correct my posture during a certain lift I would just smile and nod and say thank you.

At my new gym, I'm the only foreigner I've seen around and I don't personally know anyone else who is a member. I figured it was only a matter of time before the trainers and every single person who was excited to practice speaking English would pounce. Walking in there on the first day, I felt like I was a little baby moose surrounded by a pack of wolves. The kind of stuff you see on the Discovery channel. The wolves surround the moose in an organized fashion. Their prey unaware of the pack's presence as she sips water by the cooler. They move in quietly, in a stealth manner, assuring not to alert the moose. Suddenly, . . .I survived the first week before the inevitable happened.

I had just finished my 40 minute eliptical workout and was sweaty and thirsty to boot. I was sipping on some water by the cooler, and heading over to the free weights when an ajosshi approached me. I was even wearing my MP3 player...sigh...

A- Where are you prom?
Me (friendly, but short) Canada.

A- Oooh! Bery good. Canada bery good country! What your job?
Me (trying to quietly edge away)- English teacher.

A- Oh okay. What school?
Me- *tell him school name*

A- Oooh I know. How old?
Me- 26.

A- I am 63. It's old, right?
Me- Well good for you for being so fit and at the gym.

A- How old your dad?
Me- Umm..he's 61.

A- I have two child. One son, same age as you. I am your dad. Hahahaha
Me (oh god)- Oh..ha...ha...ha..

A- Do you go to churchee? Are you Christian?
Me (jabbing the weight into my eye)- Nooo....

The conversation continued for several minutes with more awkward, yet typical questions and answers. He proceded to call over the trainer to have him watch me lift the weights to make sure I was doing it correctly. I really enjoy having the trainer and about 10 other people surrounding me watching me do bicep curls. After, he would randomly come over to talk to me during the rest of my workout. Now, don't get me wrong. He was a nice guy and well meaning. But seriously, I'm here to work out and I don't want to talk. I'm wearing my MP3 player and trying to slowly back away from you. Please, take the hint. This is not my English class and I don't feel like teaching. Does anybody out there feel me on this?