Just because I have had requests, my address here in Korea is:
[My Name]
275-7 2-GA Samduk-dong
Chung Gu, Daegu 700 412
South Korea
Please, no exotic animals. Thank you.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Beg Your Pardon
I want to take this opportunity to apologize. I know that I really have been remiss in not writing more. It's just seemed like there's not much to say. I had a really expensive but yummy chicken sandwich at TGI Fridays the other day with Luke. It was pretty fun. We rode the subway to the restaurant and then walked home. I got to see the river running through Daegu for the first time, and Luke got to stop and smell the roses (i.e. polluted, slow-running water) while I took in the view. It looked fairly peaceful at night.
I had two special visitors this week, and am consequently moving upstairs to a room that has no signs of any similar friends and a little porch. Alex argued that it was smaller than my current room, but I don't believe that it is. And with a little creative re-furnishing I think it will feel bigger and have more counter space that is unfriendly to outsiders. Honestly, the second time I found a roach crawling out from under my stove (it's a little gas one about the size of a binder that sits on my counter) I about lost it. It's very convenient for them that they have a room free - because I was moving either way.
I spent 3 1/2 hours this morning sitting and doing nothing at work. I think it'll probably be just as long tomorrow . . . the drama classes are finally giving their presentations on Saturday. Mercifully I have Friday off, so I don't have to sit through them every day until then. I'm also very grateful that the school director has completely taken them over at this point, so my function is to sit there and look foreign for any parents who stop by, confirm the correct pronunciation of words, and try to think up games to amuse the occasional kid who comes and laments to me, "Teacher, bored." I'm especially glad I have Friday off because that's when I'll be moving AND I don't think my book would hold out against so many days of mental oblivion. (c: The Korean teacher that worked with me for the last two months has to be there as well. I felt so sorry for him, he's not a reader and he really had nothing to do. I get the impression that Koreans don't really read for pleasure. All of the books outside the English section at the bookstore look mostly like textbooks to me, even in the kids section. It makes me kind of sad. )c: I don't know what I'd do if I didn't read.
I had two special visitors this week, and am consequently moving upstairs to a room that has no signs of any similar friends and a little porch. Alex argued that it was smaller than my current room, but I don't believe that it is. And with a little creative re-furnishing I think it will feel bigger and have more counter space that is unfriendly to outsiders. Honestly, the second time I found a roach crawling out from under my stove (it's a little gas one about the size of a binder that sits on my counter) I about lost it. It's very convenient for them that they have a room free - because I was moving either way.
I spent 3 1/2 hours this morning sitting and doing nothing at work. I think it'll probably be just as long tomorrow . . . the drama classes are finally giving their presentations on Saturday. Mercifully I have Friday off, so I don't have to sit through them every day until then. I'm also very grateful that the school director has completely taken them over at this point, so my function is to sit there and look foreign for any parents who stop by, confirm the correct pronunciation of words, and try to think up games to amuse the occasional kid who comes and laments to me, "Teacher, bored." I'm especially glad I have Friday off because that's when I'll be moving AND I don't think my book would hold out against so many days of mental oblivion. (c: The Korean teacher that worked with me for the last two months has to be there as well. I felt so sorry for him, he's not a reader and he really had nothing to do. I get the impression that Koreans don't really read for pleasure. All of the books outside the English section at the bookstore look mostly like textbooks to me, even in the kids section. It makes me kind of sad. )c: I don't know what I'd do if I didn't read.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Early Morning Rain
I woke up early this morning and realized it was raining. I opened my window and laid in bed for two hours just listening to it. It was so beautiful. I almost got up and went out for a walk, but I didn't want to risk disappointment. I think maybe anybody who feels that way needs to live in the pacific northwest.
Today wound up being very humid. My hair went crazy and started doing all of its own things. (c: I went to Costco with one of the other teachers and a couple from the church I went to last week. It was really fun AND I came back with both cheese and tortillas. I think I'll make it through this.
Later a few of us went and checked out this park. I assumed it would be a traditional sort of park, but it turned out to be the amusement park previously mentioned. One thing I hadn't realized before was that there's a place there to go bungee jumping. *sigh* Maybe some of my dreams will come true. Because there was a slight drizzle today the park had been closed, but we took a walk around and up to the tower, we tried to get to the observation deck but it was closed, so we wound up having cocktails at this beautiful revolving restaurant one floor higher. I will definitely be doing this again - at night if possible. Then we just went to catch a movie.
And now I sit, eating fresh strawberries and thinking about the rain and Romans 13:8, "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law." God keep you all.
Today wound up being very humid. My hair went crazy and started doing all of its own things. (c: I went to Costco with one of the other teachers and a couple from the church I went to last week. It was really fun AND I came back with both cheese and tortillas. I think I'll make it through this.
Later a few of us went and checked out this park. I assumed it would be a traditional sort of park, but it turned out to be the amusement park previously mentioned. One thing I hadn't realized before was that there's a place there to go bungee jumping. *sigh* Maybe some of my dreams will come true. Because there was a slight drizzle today the park had been closed, but we took a walk around and up to the tower, we tried to get to the observation deck but it was closed, so we wound up having cocktails at this beautiful revolving restaurant one floor higher. I will definitely be doing this again - at night if possible. Then we just went to catch a movie.
And now I sit, eating fresh strawberries and thinking about the rain and Romans 13:8, "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law." God keep you all.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Tuesday Morning Walk
I went for a walk on Tuesday morning. (It was barely morning, but I didn't have to be to work until 2 in the afternoon this week, so everything got pushed back.) I went and checked out this one-acre park near downtown. Apparently it was expanded to one acre. This fact alone supplied me with sufficient fuel to contemplate the differences in concepts of space between the US and Korea for quite a while. It's interesting how slow things seem here, and yet time still passes. I'm finding out what I really do with boredom. I bake. (c: Alas, there is no oven here. I practice my guitar, watch movies on my computer and think about what I'll eat next.
I met a really nice old man on Tuesday during my walk. There was a spire visible from the park, so I went and checked it out. On my way back this old man asked me if I needed help. I told him I was just out for a walk. He ended up walking most of the way back to the school with me, but I steered us to the subway stop one-away from ours and told him I needed to take the train back. (Don't worry mom.) It was a nice walk, and he was a very interesting man. Apparently the Korean CIA put him in prison without trial for a really long time, and now he's out and just "enjoying his life" (he's 73). Like I said, don't worry, I lost him at the subway and gave him the email that doesn't have my name in it.
I met a really nice old man on Tuesday during my walk. There was a spire visible from the park, so I went and checked it out. On my way back this old man asked me if I needed help. I told him I was just out for a walk. He ended up walking most of the way back to the school with me, but I steered us to the subway stop one-away from ours and told him I needed to take the train back. (Don't worry mom.) It was a nice walk, and he was a very interesting man. Apparently the Korean CIA put him in prison without trial for a really long time, and now he's out and just "enjoying his life" (he's 73). Like I said, don't worry, I lost him at the subway and gave him the email that doesn't have my name in it.
Monday, February 2, 2009
One Month Down
I haven’t written anything because things have been so uneventful. Last weekend I went to Seoul and got to see my friend Joyce for the first time in about 6 years. It was wonderful. Definitely the highlight of the trip for me. The next day Sandy (the other teacher I went with) and I went and checked out one of the national museums. They were having a modern art exhibition which was, delightfully, free (because of their 60th anniversary). So I wandered around for several hours getting a feel for Korean understanding and development through art. It’s amazing how new everything is here really. There was a picture of the Seoul skyline from the 20s or 30s, and it was almost entirely traditional buildings, and now it boasts as many sky-scrapers as the most enthusiastic city-lover could wish.
Today I start my new schedule, working afternoons and evenings. We’ll see how it goes. I think I’m going to just shift my sleeping and eating schedule, since this will probably be my schedule for the next several months. I’ll be working from about 3 to 9 most days, some days a little bit less, some days more. That’s about it, just wanted to update everyone so my mother doesn’t get nervous.
Today I start my new schedule, working afternoons and evenings. We’ll see how it goes. I think I’m going to just shift my sleeping and eating schedule, since this will probably be my schedule for the next several months. I’ll be working from about 3 to 9 most days, some days a little bit less, some days more. That’s about it, just wanted to update everyone so my mother doesn’t get nervous.
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