here's the latest ...a conversation with my girlfriend who lives here in Korea too. Thank God for her. It really has been nice having someone here who is going thru the same things. She got here about a little over a month before I did.

We're talkinga bout some things that we're finding in Korea. And ya the shopping mania...

Don' worry Bee happy said:ok im off to taekwondo...
Don' worry Bee happy said:talk soon!
Candice said:bye! (was cleaning house)
Don' worry Bee happy said:
Don' worry Bee happy said:bye

Tickle Monster!! says:oooh man...i just got finished stickerin up my keyboard
Tickle Monster!! says:wooo this is fun
Candice says:nice!
Candice says:how does it look?
Tickle Monster!! says:freakin korean awesome
Candice says:haahaha korean awesome
Candice says:YOU'RE KOREAN AWESOME
Tickle Monster!! says:WOW....i just saw the new Hera commercial
Tickle Monster!! says:i was peeled!
Tickle Monster!! says:haha
Tickle Monster!! says:i'll take a pic of the keyboard
Tickle Monster!! says:i am changed forever
Tickle Monster!! says:haha
Candice says:peeled?
Tickle Monster!! says:as in eyes peeled and jaw dropped on the flooor!
Candice says:ohhh haha
Candice says:ya take a pic so i can see
Candice says:(love the 'tickle monster' name btw...soo cute...so sesame street or something)
Tickle Monster!! says:tee hee
Tickle Monster!! says:its cuz that's wot im becoming at school...tickling sure helps let me tell ya
Tickle Monster!! says:i forgot how simple and fun that was!
Candice says:oh ya???hhaha
Candice says:ya it's korea..u can touch people here and not get hit with a harrassment charge
Tickle Monster!! says:http://www.extralot.com/artist_item.php?lang=2&artist=1133&referer=15
Tickle Monster!! says:tru i love it
Tickle Monster!! says:i was thinkin that the other day
Tickle Monster!! says:k check out this gilr
Tickle Monster!! says:i got a tshirt with her on it
Tickle Monster!! says:and i love her! she's so disturbing !
Tickle Monster!! says:and then look at her 'name' !
Tickle Monster!! says:
Candice says:oh dude, i totally know that artist
Candice says:japanese
Candice says:amazing stuff hey??
Tickle Monster!! says:ya
Tickle Monster!! says:i'm really gonna be getting into stuff like cartoonish stuff like that
Tickle Monster!! says:what else do u know
Candice says:ahh, not too much...i came across that artist accidentally at ubc bookstore
Candice says:i also love the artist 'my neighbour totoro'
Tickle Monster!! says:o ya?
Candice says:the artist of totoro
Candice says:oh yaaa, u gotta check it out
Tickle Monster!! says:oooh u gotta see my jacket w buttons all over it
Tickle Monster!! says:i'm button addicted and sticker addicted and....
Tickle Monster!! says:tshirt...
Candice says:oh ya?? buttons...love
Candice says:it
Tickle Monster!! says:http://www.extralot.com/description.php?lang=2&item=32950 oh man...look wat this says
Tickle Monster!! says:im hooked! that's ME!
Tickle Monster!! says:even my name means 'wanderer' !
Candice says:ya sooo cute hey?
Candice says:love it
Tickle Monster!! says:disturbing..and cute
Tickle Monster!! says:strangie
Candice says:REALLY?? you are that i think...so cute
Tickle Monster!! says:awwww shucks
Tickle Monster!! says:haha
Candice says:kind of free spirit...you
Candice says:wanderer
Candice says:it's true maybe
Candice says:artistic...creative...yep, that's you!! you're a lil sleepwalking girl with sheep ears!
Tickle Monster!! says:hahahaa
Tickle Monster!! says:now i want the tshirt that has a giraffe on it and it says 'deep throat' !
Tickle Monster!! says:
Candice says:hahahahaha NO WAY
Candice says:so rad
Tickle Monster!! says:yah...dunno if its stil there but i'm going to find out soon
Candice says:maybe you told me...i think i told you about that shirt that says "i love my weiner" (at the bottom of shirt is a weiner dog)
Tickle Monster!! says:u know how korea is for see it get it or its gone
Candice says:sooo good
Tickle Monster!! says:on NO
Tickle Monster!! says:that's freakin AWESOME!
Candice says:YA
Tickle Monster!! says:i dont wanna leave korea for the cool tshirts!
Candice says:i'm kicking myself for not buying
Tickle Monster!! says:konglish
Tickle Monster!! says:ya...im gona be doign that for the deep shirt too
Tickle Monster!! says:and the one that says 'i girls on it
Tickle Monster!! says:hahahah
Tickle Monster!! says:im glad i got the boyfriend one tho
Tickle Monster!! says:tee hee
Candice says:haha i love girls..awesome
Tickle Monster!! says:oh and not just 'i love girls' but also 'cute girls'
Tickle Monster!! says:haha
Candice says:hahaah
Candice says:NICE
Candice says:ya...i'm actually keeping a lil notebook and writing down funny sayings on shirts when i see them
Tickle Monster!! says:ohh that's an awesome idea!!
Tickle Monster!! says:so hows it lookin fer the weekend?
Tickle Monster!! says:i think im gonna do kyonggju
Candice says:damn...and i can't
Tickle Monster!! says:i need to go somewhere
Candice says:ya...good for you
Tickle Monster!! says:or i could go to seoul..
Candice says:i will go to kyeongju another time...with you i hope
Tickle Monster!! says:ya
Candice says:it's supposed to be amazing

Yah...I gotta go to a concert VERY sooon. And we'l see what happens this weekend. I'm soooo glad I'm feeling wayyyy better this week. Feelin back to myself...but im realy getting annoyed at my rib. I went to taekwondo on Monday, but it felt pretty sore after...well not too much..but just enuff that i didnt go tonight. Grrr.... I wanna GO but I'd better be careful!

I love how the weather changes here. One day its not sure what's going on..and the next...BANG...it really is spring and Warm too! It was 20 celcius the other dya, and it feels like summer to me. Humid too, but I think I dont mind it. We'll see what happens. The yello dust is still here tho. At least my cough is a bit better. Or maybe I'm just getting used to it.

I spent a lonnng time in the PC bang the other day (4 hours!!!) and i found some really cool websites ---like the one where i got that heart post it below. How cool is that?

Anyway...talk to ya next time.

hmmm...lemme try this...dunno if it will work like this

Doctor Visit

Well, yesterday I went to visit the doctor. About my rib really hurting and I thought it could possibly be broken or at least cracked. Thank God it isn't, but he ended up saying that he would give me a shot to help the muscle. And so that's what he did. But the freaky thing is that he gave me THREE shots UNDER the ribs, and in to the NERVES in my muscle! Okay, I was a bit freaked out, but man, it sure helped and worked!!
I just had blood work done too just before that, and that's no problem, but I was so nervous because when I was younger, I did a lot of reading in medical books and about midwifery. And there I learned about epidurals and how crazy and potentially dangerous they can be! A needle going RIGHT into your spinal cord and if it hits the wrong muscle...just a smidgen, you could be impaired for life. So guess what's going thru my mind when he's doign that. And needles going into the trunk of yer body is a bit freaky if u ask me. He said after when I mendtioned why I was nervous, was because of this, and he said...oH! I give about 12 epidurals every day! Well that made me feel better...after!
His office was beautiful...and the caption in the waiting room was "We care, God cures" Wow. You wouldnt see that in Canada, unless it was a very religous space, and not generally. I liked it actually.
I wish I got pictures of it. It was designed quite well. The place is actually a clinic, but when you go into the treatment room, there were beds all along the walls, and the emergency room curtains around them, open or closed, and a bunch of people there being treated. Interesting.
The finishes were nice, and it felt intimate and peaceful. I got an xray done of my ribs..,and got ushered around to different places. I saw the doctor about 4 or 5 times in general. The funny thing was talking to him at first, and we got talking about the design, and then he said...I guess you didnt come here to talk about design, and so I guess I'd better treat you! IT was quite nice. I didnt feel that I was being rushed, and I felt like I was being listened to. And it was personable. And in English! yay.
So now I'm taking some muscle relaxants for a few days. And I cant go to Taekwondo this week :( Oh well, I think i need a bit of a relaxing week.
It was relaxing yesterday, nice and warm and sunny...no coat kind of spring day. I got to work and the kids were gone on a picnic, so I didnt have to do anythign till 2! That was quite nice. I went and got some cheeze toast and a smoothie all for $2 or 2000 won. Sweet lunch! And quite good. And of course, cheap!
So today, I'm still feeling fine, I cant feel my rib issue so much, but if this cough keeps up, I'll be going back. He's doing blood work for antibodies to the vaccines I got in Canada and need to update. So we'll see. I just want to get them DONE! So 70,000 won later...this is with no medical insurance...and considering that's quite a fine price... in canada I dont even want to know how much that would be.
Well, that's it for now. I'll have to write about my weekend in Gukseong...but pictures do most of that. Just ask, and you'll get em, or email me. bendycha@hotmail.com Righto...catch ya later!

Yello Storm Today

Wow, what a crazy crazy day. I think I just explained about the storm earlier....so I won't repeat. My lungs are goin nuts. And this cough is really getting to me. It now feels like I've got booted in the ribs..or I've broken one or something.
Not sure if that was due to the Jungle Gym class of Taekwondo tonight or not. It was so much fun....and I highly recommend taking an exercise class with kids. They laugh things off and respect u for the silly things u do...or how silly u look. And that takes a certain amount of 'laff it off' yourself. And once u have that, yer fine.
So I'm drinking a bottle of Italian mineral water that cost me the equivalent of 1$. Ha! It's called Acqua Panna. I think i've seen it in canada...but not quite sure. "from the hills of Tuscany" Yep. The luxury!
Anyway...I'm not fallin apart..I'm just lettin u know what it's like.
Anyway...my mind is blank right now.
Oh, the other thing...I've been starting to think about what it would be like to be back in Canada. Strangie (I say 'strange + ie' because that's how the Koreans say it...and it's starting to stick cuz its funny) Yep, THAT"s where I'll be having the culture shock. I have only really felt it briefly that I know of here. I just love cultures and languages so much that I"m a natural! What can I say?! ha ha. Ya right.
Okay, gotta play with other puter stuff now. I really do love puters, and I really do spend wayy too much time on here. But it's cheap and time consuming, and brain consuming too. I've just found out about the world of plug ins for MSN. LOVEIN it.
And thanks to my ol faithful friend in Aussie-land....I'm gonna have a new funky avatar on here hopefully.
Anyhoo....the highlight of my day....listening to a certain hot Oud player online. Yep....that was memorable. ;)
Later!

Yello Dust Info

Hey u all,
For all the inquiries of the yellow dust issues I've been having...as in coughing and a bit of a raw throat from coughing..here's some good info about what's happening and why.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_dust
Yep, there u go.
Today at noon got really quite dark. It felt like it was twilight or something. The strange thing is that it was just like a dark storm. And it rained and I heard thunder! Oh man I LOV thunder! But the air is dark and eery feeling, and looks yellowish.
I gotta run...to class....
Later

Coughin

Hi folks,
Well, what to write about first. I officially got my blue belt in Taekwondo! Yeayy. I'm so glad I've been doing that. I learned a few new moves, just like i do every night. Yay.
There's this kid there that has taken a liking to me...oh I think I already wrote about that. Anyway, he got me to count to 100 in Korean. Pure Korean numbers that is. Hana, dul, net, set, dasot, yasot, ilgop, yodol, ahop, yol, yolhana, yoldul, .... yep...u get the point.
I'm so proud of myself cuz I bought somethin in complete Korean the other day. I havent quite arrived at full sentences..but it did the trick. Even when the guy answered me in some English, I kept at Korean. Trade ya!
Um, what else. Oh, yesterday I was told my Mr. Shim-my boss, that we were goign on a field trip today. So we went today to Family Land...a theme park. IT was pretty fun actually. Poor John was sooo sick. It was the first time I've been on such a thing with so many kids. My official job was to be the school 'mascot' or something. And then parading around with at least 200 kids is an interesting experience. Herding them on to rides and stuff.
Man, Koreans are complete posers. I must say I love it. You dont have to worry about taking pictures and offending peole....well, with consideration anyway. And yes, everyone still wears 3 inch heels to the park! I must say I like that too. I just dont know how these girls all do it...but they ALL do!
Man, I cant think anymore. And this cough is hurting. I think I might get some good stomach muscles after all with this!

Cherry blossom weekend

Hello everyone,
Here goes an attempt at another entry. Its actually excerpts from a conversation with my 'brother', Michael
It saves me time and energy typing twice!
By the way- I'm 'juseyo' which means please in Korean in short....

oh man...i just got these stickers for your keyboard im going sticker nuts how embarrassing!juseyo 님의 말:i had the best most amazing tea experience yesterday
MichaelTell me about the tea
juseyo the tea ..well let me send u pics first
juseyo :nah..i'lll tell ya about it..too many pictures
juseyo 님의 말:well i went with candice to a very small town about 1.5 hrs away from Gwangju juseyo 님의 말:there's a cherry blossom festival there..and also it's 'famous' in korea for one of itls oldest markets there
juseyo 님의 말:complete with rice straw roof and stuff
juseyo 님의 말:so we were trying to find our friends juseyo 님의 말:and went into the little town and walked along a street with complete cherry blossom trees on either side...wow....on the way to hopefully see a big temple
juseyo 님의 말:but i saw this really cool lookng shop across the street
juseyo 님의 말:and first off..the door was enough to make me happy
juseyo 님의 말:but then we wen tin and there were all this amazing pottery
juseyo 님의 말:(pls dont mind my terrible english)
juseyo 님의 말:and as we were looking around, the lady owner of the shop invited us to sit down juseyo 님의 말:on stumps...literally around a table in the middle for tea
juseyo 님의 말:so we did, and i FINALLY got to witness the proper pouring and serving of green tea
juseyo 님의 말:the ceremony idea
juseyo 님의 말:there's a tea pot for steeping
juseyo 님의 말:a bown that you pour the steeped tea into juseyo 님의 말:bowl juseyo 님의 말:and you pour hot water into the bowl first ..swish it around
juseyo 님의 말:and then pour in a circular motion around the cups that you are going to drink out of
juseyo 님의 말:in 2 steps in that way
juseyo 님의 말:and then she got more hot water from the ..what do u call a 'tank' with hot water already in it...a boiler i guess
Michael 님의 말:I've heard all about the Japanese tea ritual, this sounds very similar
juseyo 님의 말:and then poured water through the strainer which was a wood strainer in the shape of a flower
juseyo 님의 말:(you'll notice it)
juseyo 님의 말:and then poured the tea through that
juseyo 님의 말:and into the bowl juseyo 님의 말:and then poured it into our cups
juseyo 님의 말:it was the most amazing green tea i've EVER tasted
juseyo 님의 말:even in Korea juseyo 님의 말:i was so excited juseyo 님의 말:and we bought some AMAZING insence
juseyo 님의 말:oops
juseyo 님의 말:and holders
juseyo 님의 말:and she ended up giving us a whole bag of tea each that cost 10 ea
juseyo 님의 말:which is really expensive here
juseyo 님의 말:well not really reallly..but on its way there
juseyo 님의 말:whew!
Michael 님의 말:That sounds like something amazing
Michael 님의 말:I'd love to experience that, I have a great appreciation for tea and ritual
juseyo 님의 말:me too
juseyo 님의 말:it was the perfect experience...in a way out small town of korea
juseyo 님의 말:i was jumping around i was so excited
Michael 님의 말:How is work, how is your health?
juseyo 님의 말:work is fine
juseyo 님의 말:health is fine considering im hacking up yello dust
juseyo 님의 말:from my lungs
juseyo 님의 말:my back just got really sore from my self afflictions of worry fits that i am constantly giving myself
juseyo 님의 말:other than that
juseyo 님의 말:im good
Michael 님의 말:Yellow dust does not sound good
juseyo 님의 말:its just wot happens here and everyone gets it
Michael 님의 말:What are you worried about, my sister?
juseyo 님의 말:o just ..im not sure wot they want me to do at school with a class..and it seems that they just leave u to try and teach these 4 yr olds for an hour with no idea of what they want to teach
juseyo 님의 말:most of it is my job to teach them English and part of that is to come up with my own material..but not really
juseyo 님의 말:i wish they had a curriculum that i could follow that worked
juseyo 님의 말:and i somewhat have that there..but it sucks
juseyo 님의 말:and when i give them these color sheets to learn the colors and shapes....and they color them ..and write their name on them...the parents dont like it cuz they think they're jsut coloring
juseyo 님의 말:and they're not...its a way to record, and to keep them controlled, and a method to teach them!
juseyo 님의 말:and the korean teachers know this..and try to deal with the parents abou thtis...or so they say
juseyo 님의 말:but im not sure what to do
juseyo 님의 말:but try to get differnt stuff
juseyo 님의 말:..so what can u do but the best u can
Michael 님의 말:This sounds like a bit of a precariious postition
juseyo 님의 말:it is...
juseyo 님의 말:and i dont know how to make everyone happy
juseyo 님의 말:so i think i might just go to the director and talk to him about it
님의 말:I had better go to sleep.
juseyo 님의 말:ok
Michael 님의 말:Take care
juseyo 님의 말:thanx for listening..or at least letting me blab
juseyo 님의 말:gnite

so there it is...
The weekend was lovely though, although it went a bit too fast. I wish i felt more relaxed. But we went out to see a cherry blossom festival. We wanted to see a temple, but it was too far, and our time was running out.
Candice came down from Seoul, and that was really nice to hang out with her.
We went out to a town called Gurye, and then to another I cant remember the name right now. IT was a little tiny village and it was really beautiful. There was this hideously lit, but beautiful in its own way, bridge crossing the river. Yes, of course I have pictures!
There was a beautiful road lined with cherry blossoming trees on both sides that ran along the river, and it was sooo crowded. There is also one of the oldest open traditional markets there. Yep. I got my pic taken with this cool Korean biker. We didnt even realize it till we saw him going by with his girl on the back! Hilarious! He was all decked out too... and with his friend in Army uniform and those aviator glasses. yep..they were pretty hip.

Blasting Korean music and ajumas (grandmas) dancing around was entertaining too. Then there were suggestive wood carvings mounted on tables along with a drink of some sort that I'm sure was believed to make you more ...ahem...verile!

So we had dinner, and looked around, and then it was time to go back. WE had to get a taxi. I cant believe it. We got a taxi to go for a 10 min drive.! As if ! If we did that in Canada that woudl be a small fortune. It was 17,000 won or 17 dollars! Craziness! I love Korea for that!
LOVE it!
Then we just missed the next bus into Gwangju, so we went and hung out, and then went to find a jimjilbang. Gotta love Korea for that too. 6 bucks and you've got a place to lay yer head. and a shower and the rest in the morning.
It was the most crowded jimjilbang I"ve seen or been in...for sleeping especially. Imagine being in a large room with people everywhere they could find room on the floor, and almost all of them snoring. IT was kindof soothing in a strange way! We all were sleeping on the stone floor...which doesnt turn out to be so bad after all....if you have a pillow, which i didnt for the first half of the night. Hmmmm. Maybe that's why my back isnt so good after all tonight.
Anyway, we got back, and then Candice had to go back to Suwon, and I went home and did my thing.
Here we go for another school week. I better get to bed soon.
:D

Descriptions

Just came back from Taekwondo and the master said that next week I'll have my blue belt! Woohooooo! Yayyy! I'm so happy! I was sooo tired tonight...and i didnt even want to go...but it paid off after all.

One older guy there and I keep getting paired up ...either in stretches or he teaches me poomse or the technique sequences that are crucial to Taekwondo and advancing. Poor guy...he's maybe 15-18 years old..and he gets so embarrassed. It's quite cute actually. His name is something like Eun which means Silver in English! How cool is that?

There's a boy there that has taken a liking to me, if not a crush (I must add that he's about 10 yrs old) and he is keen on teaching me Korean. It's really cute. He's really quite good at English, and he's teaching me Korean...complete with drills! And then he makes funny faces at me.

Man, I've discoverd that my memory sucks for when you are told a word and expected to remember it somehow! Grrr. Koreans seem to think at times that you can learn it by being told once...I wish! But then I have to teach them English, and that takes repitition...HELLO! Even the teachers at school do that. They've at times said..."dont you remember?" Um ...hi...do you teach a language? Yes you do...and HOW many times do you have to repeat? Man, that felt good to say!
But then I still love them. What can u do.

I'm getting the requests to go to Play Bank (the jungle gym downstairs) or starting to get the 'can we go outside' for class. Then if I say I'm not allowed...which apparently I'm not...then they all start saying in korean thinking I cant understand them that other teachers have let them and they were cooler and I'm hard on them. Well sorry kids. I'd love to...but I'd rather keep my job. We'll see what buttons I can hopefully push to get them out once in a while! What ever happened to field trips n stuff? Hmmmm... Okay...so I want to be the cool teacher. Ha ha. I try anyway. Some things are just not comparable though.

So I was just reading in the Gwangju News (in English for foreigners) about the Yellow Dust season or 'Hwangsa' as it is called in Korean. I am noticing a difference in the back of my throat and having to blow my nose as usual. Sorry..but that's a fact of life. Mucus and all. Eeegh, I hate that word! Here's an excerpt from the magazine...
"...the annuall phenomenon "hwangsa", or yellow dust, is made up of clouds of dust brought from China and Mongolia's Taklamakan desert, the Gobi desert and the huanghe river basin. Carried by strong winds in the spring, the dust affects China, Korea, japan and Southeast Asia. Since desertivication is the main cause, yellow dust doesn't occur in the winter because the ground is frozen; in the summer, rooted plants prevent the dust from being spread."
Cool, huh? I keep looking for yellow hues to the sky and air, but I havent really seen anything to note. Apparently you can see it in Seoul. I' wanna go up and see it! I'm so glad I live in Gwangju. Less pollution and stuff like that to deal with.

Oh, and I'm reading an article about getting eye glasses here in Asia. Yep, dirt cheap! You can get frames ranging from W10,000 to W200,000 (won) for designer frames. Most are priced around W10,000 to W75,000 but you ca get a discount on almost any of them in the W50,000 range. (for price conversion just add or knock off some zeros for Canadian vs Korean prices- 10,000 won is $10 Canadian approximately). The article says you can get the whole thing for $23-$50. Yep...cuz I did. I didnt realize that I was getting the whole treatment till they told me to sit at the eye station, and they checked my eyes. Thanx! I needed to do that anyway! And then you can get them fixed for free if u need to. Nice!

Sometimes i feel guilty for how inexpensive some things are ...realizing the labour that went into it...but that's how it is here. Strange but true. The thing is that you tip in other ways. And also I realize that people give more of other things...and I hope I do the same for them in return.

Okay, I'm gonna publish this for now. If anything to make sure that I dont lose all this writing work!
Gnite if I dont get back on here again.

part 2

yep ppl are walkin around an dsocializing here at 2 am on a sunday night. dunno. lol
anyway the saunas have stones and things in them. one has pink quartz, and another one has clay balls. it's housed inbetween logs

Night at a Jim-jil-bang

Yep...I'm here at Migliore's Jim-jil-bang. Migliore is the equivalent to Sears in Canada....and they happen to have jimjilbangs/saunas upstairs...just like most things in Korea...just go up the stairs and u never know what you'll find. A lot of theatres are on the top floor of these dept stores too.
This jimjilbang is just great. I think its' the best one i've been to so far. And I say again...what on earth am i gonna DO when i get back to Canada with no jimjilbangs? :O Sauna it up 'normal' style I guess like the rest of them. I'm on a puter here and its timed...so hopefullly it wont quit on me.
The best part about this placeis that they have mini nori-bangs or karaoke huts! pay 50 cents and sing a song w yer friend!

Laughing at lessons

Well today went pretty good, I must say. I was praying hard that I woulndt stress out so much...and voila! It sure worked! Thank God. I was actually relaxing and having fun...
And then I went to taekwondo ...late again cuz working later makes it hard to get ther eon time. But it's ok cuz other kids do that too..so I dont feel so bad. Really, all I missed was the warmup. So then we do some drills, and all of a sudden the instructor or Kuk Sa Nim, (Pak Am-Oo is his name) starts completely cracking up laughing to himself..and I have no idea why. I think he might be laughing at me though....I wouldnt be surprised. i guess i looked quite funny trying to get back on the 'ball' at doing a crossover face block arm move called olgul-makki, and I was fumbling a bit, and it must have been hilarious... I've never seen him like that!
I love how Koreans will just laugh at you...and it's ok. Its honest and funny and critisizing and caring all at the same time. I felt completely embarrassed but that's just Korean...and that's part of it. And I was laughing as much as he was almost. At myself...if I was indeed the one he was laughing at. What made it funniest is that he has a silent strict manner...and I'm not sure what was funnier-him laughing or me not sure who or what he was laughing at. I cant even describe it enough. He was laughing for a full minute or two while we all stood there in our 'pose' and tried not to laugh ...which made it funnier as he covered his face. It was priceless!

Anyway, on the weekend I went on a tour to a famous place in Korea. It was a bus ride 2 hours away. It's two mountains that are joined together, and we hiked between them. At the base of the mountain was a small lake that had pedal boats in it! The best part was they were shaped like swans or ducks I think. Woohooo! I wanted to do it..but it wasnt in the agenda.

SO we went to the base of the mountain, and there in the crevice was what they called 'pagodas' which were stones piled up with no mortar or anything keeping them together. There were about 80 of them but two of them were the most impressive. Apparently they have been there for 100 years or so. Amazing when u think of that.

There were Bhudda statues and small caves with incense and water in or around them. People were bowing and praying or paying their respects or just beign tourists. There were the regular temples there too. Several small ones. Then I heard a beautiful sound of a drum. Stopped me in my tracks actually. As I got closer I discovered that everyone was taking a turn at drumming. I was told that it is the largest drum in Korea. Hmmmm. Later when most ppl had tried, I went back and played on a it a bit. I got into trouble though because I wanted to make a big long sound, and not just 3 bangs on it. So I did it and the rumbling sound was amazing coming from this huge drum. But ya, I got into trouble for it...and the old man 'guarding' it said only 3 in Korean...so I went back and finished the deed. Man, that was fun.

Then we climbed up to the top of the join of the mountains...and did a tour guide blurb of the stories or myths of the mountain. Why does there always have to be a story...why can't it just be that there are just simply two mountains with an odd shape and are taller than the rest and are unusual. I'd like that. But then again, stories are interesting...and charming.
There was a cave a short climb up...and I'm so glad I did that. It was a sight to see.

Then down the other side to a restaraunt for gooood bibimbap. I know one thing for sure....I'll be visiting Korean restaraunts for bibimbap in Canada. I think I'll miss it! And even plain ol rice and kimchi! And hunks of seaweed in soup. Yum. And dried up pieces of seaweed lightly toasted with sesame seeds. YUMMMY.

Then I got some souveniers...and hopped on the bus for the next item on the list. Dying fabric or making ddeok-rice cake. I chose fabric of course...and we were given a white silk handkerchief to tie up and dip into first a yellow dye made from onion peel, and perhaps a dried fruit that was yellow. Of course it HAS to be yellow! We're in Asia! I'm really growing to really love and understand yellow a lot more. The very earth is yellow here...and the most beautiful color of it too.
Then the next color option after the first fixative of a bitter salt like substance was a dark brownish green that was made from iron dissolved in water. So dippidy dooo...and there u go. Dip it in 3 more solutions and presto! Dry and iron it up and you've got yourself a naturally dyed handkerchief. It was a bit fast, and I wish I could find out more about how to get the materials and where..but the lady only spoke Korean, and the interpreting people werent able to interpret fast enough I guess. Whatever..it was worth it.
The building itself was beautiful too. The walls were made from yello earth I think, and the window frames were painted an aqua blue. Stunning.

Then we came back and went out for a big Shabu-shabu which is a hot pot that u cook greens and various mushrooms and red pepper in a pot, then you get plates of very thinly sliced beef, or whatever, and dump it in and let it all cook up...and it's really quite delicious. I tried a small piece of the beef...just to experience it..and it was some of the best tasting meat I've ever tried. Yep..you heard me. But I'd still prefer to be veggie. Sorry..cant' help it. But I feel that I want to try whenever my brain will let me. Ha. I did try escargot after all! DID I REALLY DO THAT?!! Well to me that 's part of experiencing cultures...but man...did I really do that?!!

On Sunday night I went out to see Pride and Predjudice. Ya ya agirly movie so they call it. BUt it was good. And I was crying by the end of it. I cant believe it but I was. I NEVER cry at movies. ...except Dancer in the Dark. WOWzers..that one got me bad.

The weekend was great, but it was hard just because everyone's boyfriend or girlfriend has come to visit, and I miss mine! Darnit! But these things happen for a reason...but it's HARD!

Well, I gotta sleep. I cant seem to get to sleep until at least 1 am , and it's 1 30 am right now. I'm too wired. I gotta stop that somehow. It would really help my stress level I'm sure. I'm just glued to this puter! What can I say, I'm a junkie.
Okay, whaddya know...I've written another post in my blog! it's about time! Spelling mistakes and lazy English and all. I really do teach English properly u know! Ha!
Miss you all...

Yello Dust Season

Land of Yellow Dust in my throat. I was wondering why my throat was so dry. It feels that I just cant get enough water in there or something. I forgot that it's Yello dust season. I want to go to Seoul to see it, because apparently you can see a bit of yello in the air. Interesting. In case you dont really know what or why, it's yellow dust that blows down from China every year at this time of the year. I dont know too much more about it, but that's about it. Apparently you have to beware of your eyes that you dont get dust in them. I dont quite understand how that works either, but I've been observing, and no one wears swim goggles or anything...and I havent felt that I've needed to. So there.

Well tonight i took the night off per se, and I went to SangMu (a neighbourhood of Gwangju close to my place), and I was going to see a movie. It ended up that they were starting at times later...so I went and walked around. I had been there before, and saw this building in the distance, and had wondered what it was. So I just started to walk in that direction. The top of the building was lit in blue, and in a curved shape...so that's enough to pique anyone's interest. there was a large section of the road that was divided by a roundabout at the end, and 4 lane 'highway' on both sides. in the middle is paved with 4" tiles, and then there are patterns recessed in the pathway. Squares of grass, and 'elevators' in different shapes. The landscaping is ecquisite. The recesses are waterways, and there are stepping stones and little bridges. It ends up in the middle of a 'sundial' where the waterway stream runs into.

Then you look up, and there across the street is the building. WOW. It's the modern architectural prize of Gwang-ju that's for sure. I didnt quite understand it until I came closer. Wooo! I can only explain it more with the the pictures I took.
Regardless, I felt a return to me again. The spirit of adventure and exploration. I'm soo glad i didnt go to the movie!

K i gotta sleep now. :D

sleepy time

So I went to Taekwondo tonight. I was a bit late cuz I only had half an hour between getting home and cooking dinner and getting there. I really didnt feel like going, honestly, but I'm glad I did because I got some energy out. It's interesting and nice how when Koreans ask sincerely how you are doing they dont ask that exactly, but they ask- have you eaten? I thought at first that they were going to ask me to come and eat with them everytime at first, but now I finally clued in! Man, we did another 'street fighter' move tonight. Woohooo! I'm so glad I'm at least doing this...if not really moving up the ladder fast, I'm at least there and showing up.

I'm so tired right now. I actually cleaned up my place. Having a loveseat is a bad thing for me, cuz everything tend to pile up on it. The benefit of having such a small place is that it gets messy FAST, and you have to keep on top of it more. Darnit.

Okay, I'm too tired to write...will do more next time. There's a few things I gotta say before I forget them soon!

The first picture is Maria and Kevin. The second John, my coworker and his friend Stephie from Germany visiting. The last is Joey stricking a pose! Kinda scary!

Pissy Korea Day

Yah, I'm having a pissy day today. I love these kids, but sometimes my voice is just hoarse from trying to get their attention. Particularily in this one class I just had. Grrr... So I'm writing this to get my frustrations out. Poor kids..I was pretty much swearing in the last one at them. But it certainly did get their attention...for nomore than 2 minutes! There's this one girl Sally that is just a tomboy, and she has a really loud voice. You can't control when they talk that's for sure...and the thing is there are 5 other boys in the class, and she gets them all going. And one new boy, Robin, is pretty smart and is keeping her in check all the time, cuz he will recognize when she's doing something bad, and he will call her on it! It's hilarious actually.
Oh man, my voice is gone! I really try to not raise my voice as much as possible, but there are times you really have to. Or I just havent found a way not to yet. Keeping their interest is important...and I stress out about creating that interest enough for them. Gotta love Bingo for that. Yep.
Gotta run.
I gotta post pics of St. Pattys Day soon.

Oh...I wanted to add this in...its worth noting! Freaky stuff.

I had a tiring day today. working longer hours. I had a kid totally freak me out today. He hit another girl, and I didnt see it happen. The other girl was just sitting there and grinning after, and I dont know what was happening...I think she was rubbing the issue in that made it happen. It was his fault for hitting her though. But at one point after trying to ignore him (so i wouldnt let him get away with spazzing) I saw that he was just furious...he was breathgin really really heavy, and he had a demonic look in his eyes, and when I saw it I really got scared. It's somethign u had to see I guess. I don think i've ever seen a kid so mad...or anyone for that matter. It was like he coiled up and then he slammed the desk so hard it scared me. Then he did it a few more times. I was with him and tried to get him or someone to tell me what was so wrong. But of course in a situation like that its beyond interpretation and words. Then he got so mad he got up and tried to crawl out the window. It looked like he wanted to jump or something and we are on the 3rd floor. Scary! So the class was almost over anyway, and I packed him up and took him to a Korean teacher where she sorted it out. IT turned out that he was in the wrong (the other girl was there too). But man, I was shaking. Freaky stuff.
Anyway, I gotta go and get me some sleep. I'm glad today was over!

My latest hair style. And my Christian Dior earrings! Tee hee! I love this country!

This is what u do at the jimjilbang. The marble floor is heated of course, and those are the sauna 'huts' where the temperature is mounted outside digitally. See that? Love the doors. Stones are 'inlaid' on the exterior and interior. I'm addicted. You can also sleep here overnight. It's great for 5-8 bucks!

Back to School! in March!

Yep, school starts in March here. School ends at the end of February, and then March 1 is Korean Independance Day (one of two, I believe), and then the next day its' back to school! Ha!
These poor kids. They work so hard. They're really in school from 6 am till 10 pm. Tonight there was a kid falling asleep in my class, and its not the first time. That's not from me...c'mon...it's from them workin long hours. I see kids out on the street at midnight a lot of times too. Usually they're out playing around by then like kids should be. But I suppose they get somewhere in life a bit better if they're more educated, and the discipline of that makes a difference.
I was talking with John the other day about that and we were saying how we feel intimidated by them in terms of how much they have to study and do study. There's a reason why Asian people seem to generally be smart, or intelligent. Because they study so hard! That's a generalization, but the general manner in which they do their work an dlive their lives is pretty diciplined it seems. But the thing about it is that they dont seem to be working all that hard. They just seem to be relaxing at the same time, like in the little stores everywhere, there's TV and they're watching it. Or in a restaraunt, they're sitting there eating or socializing. I dont know quite how that works, but the thing is that they're ALWAYS there. Stores are open til 10 every night, and who knows how long restaraunts are open.
And here all of us Westerners only work from 8 to 5. And then we go and hang out, drink beers, play sports, and stuff like that. BUT, the comparison could be the same because even if we're drinking away, or socializign then, we are still being schooled in life. So dunno, how do you argue that.
Annnyyyyway!
I keep sittingdown towrite, and I just havent had much energy for it. My schedule is a bit more draining this month. New school year, new students, (the number has doubled now for the new school year here at Kids Club), new everything.
My schedule is from either 10 or 11 am to 7 pm. Yah, I'm complaing a little cuz it's a few hours more than I've been working, but I shouldnt complain becuase after comparing notes to the other English teachers here, I've got a really really great schedule. Some teachers are working starting 6 am, and finish at 10 pm. Usually a few hours break between, but still. So I'm really thankful about that.
What else....um....not much else except I really gotta crank down and not spend money on little things. They sure add up.
Oh, and in school for the last few weeks I've been having all these stupid paranoid thoughts in my brain about my performance. Iv'e realized all the stupid stuff that goes on in my brain and how it relates to my performance, and my attitude about myself. It's really pathetic, actually. I just have realized how I think myself down so much that it really starts to happen. UGh....sssstupid! So this is a major thing that I've been learning that all my worry mostly is in my own head. I suppose it's because even though people are all around me, the language difference helps to isolate thoughts or feelings, or makes you wonder why you are feelign a certain way, and what is the cause and effect, and what part of it is cultural, and what part is yourself and your culture, and realizign those differences. It's really fascinating I'm sure to study...and quite another thing to be in that situation, and to deal with it.

What else...dunno cant think of anything at the moment. Except that its interesting how life just goes on. There's all the excitement and new experiences of moving to a new country, and then life happens again, and you have to learn to deal with it from another perspective, and I'm sooooo glad I've finally had the opportunity to experience this! Woohoo! And now I dont think I want to stop! I wish I could travel around and go somewhere different every 3 months. That would be perrrfect. You could live there for a little bit, enough to find out the gist of the place, and the goodies, and then try out the next place. I wonder what kind of job that I could get like that. Hmmmmm. A job that pays a lot of money I suppose.

K, signing out for now. Oh, it's starting to warm up and its feelin like spring. YAYYyyy! I must say I have absolutely LOVED the weather here in the winter...cold or not..it's DRY and sunny usually. LOVe it!

Ciao or Annyongkyseyoo

Weekends-man there's gotta be a better title than that!

Seems like I live for weekends, but what's funny is that when I'm done on Friday, I'm not sure what to do with myself! Well, not for long...there's always 'eye shopping' to do! oh yes. too much. All the little things you can manage to do. I try to stay at home enough so I dont spend too much. I have to save after all! I came here for that reason... They have such pretty stuff here that is so cheap! Thank goodness the shoes dont fit me!
And most of the clothes, but actually after losing all this weight, I think I could fit into stuff! Scary thought. I actually found a pair of pants that fit me the other day! Woohoo!

Anyhoo...

Strange and wonderful country

Well yes, this is a strange country sometimes. I'm trying to remember all my observations, but I always seem to forget them when I sit down to write. Hmmm... One rightnow is that they serve sponge cake and whipped cream and cherry tomatoes together! Interesting. The taxis can go ahead of the cars at a light, and go right around to the front if they're not too far behind...gotta love that. The kids get a birthday cake and the teachers eat it. Yep..that happens...poor kids. Maybe that's a good idea tho. Not so much sugar high. Ha ha.
I went to E-mart last night to get some groceries. It's like a superstore but a huge 5 floor one. one floor for groceries, another for clothes, another for household stuff, and others for services...etc. Quite a good idea, actually. Stores usually have only one of an item...department stores or not. What you see on the rack is what u get, so everything looks like a mishmash of stuff, but somehow it works. There are individual stores on the one department floor, so any section you go to is a different subsection store. The thing I like is how special you feel. Everyone is expected to tag along with you while you are browsing or shopping. At first it was a bit uncomfortable and annoying..but u get used to it. The key words are 'eye shopping'.
The special feeling is from all the attendees bowing to you if you pass by or give any sort of attention their way. It feels like a red carpet sometimes. And very polite with a twist of class to it...even if it's normal here. I wonder what I'll do when i get back to Canada and start bowing to everyone!! Just habit now.
Gotta run to class now.
Later...

Reverse Banana = Yello Belt!!

Yayyyy! I got my yellow belt tonight! And I didnt sit out as much! I'm so excited! Accomplishment! Never thought or imagined really doing this. Love it.
Last weekend I went to Seoul and Suwon (a city close to Seoul) where my friend Candice lives. It was her birthday on Sunday...she hit the 30 mark! We went and danced and she teased the Korean boys by giving them a note from the 'Canadian girls'! It was so much fun! It's just fun to see their reaction cuz they're so shy! Good thing they're not my type tho..!! Even if they do dress amazingly. Darnit!
So I'm watching the Olympics in Korean...kindof interesting.
Back to Seoul. I went up on Friday night....got there at 9:30 on the bus. I was planning on going right to Suwon to Candice's but I was too tired, and decided to stay in a jimjilbang (sauna). Man I love Korea for that. So about 8 dollars and you have a luxurious feeling shower and sauna and hot tub which I believe has herbs in it (?), and a place to sleep. Then a shower in the morning, and everything you need to get ready for the day...and feel relaxed. LOVE it. What am I gonna do when I get back to Canada??? I guess i'm going to have to build one myself!
This one had a nice sleeping loft. The ceiling wasnt very high though. Maybe 5' high. But that wasnt a problem, really.
So then I went by an art shop...oh man....keep me out of there! They have great ceramic sculptures you can paint or do whatever with. Man, would I LOVE to get a Venus or bust of Beethoven or something sometime.
Then I got myself on the subway (which is a feat in itself- they can be quite complicated or simple too- but it takes a lot more energy than you realize until you do it) and headed towntown Seoul. I went to see where this bookstore was, and found a gem of a place. I really like how Seoul is laid out downtown. Once you start to understand where everything is..not that I have mastered that by any means!
Then after I went and saw the Samsung Tower in the daylight! Woohooo! So, there I am staring up at it...the landmark of Seoul....and I think to myself, I thought....why am I not going UP there?! So I did just that! I went in, and found the elevator, and went up up up to the 33 floor! (interesting number)...and as soon as I got off the elevator.....WOW! I have pictures to prove it. You are standing in the core of the building, and there is a hallway to the 'circle' surrounding it. It's really quite incredible to stand there and see the gap and look down 33 floors to the ground and the little cars and people...etc. There was a wedding up there in the restaraunt and bar/lounge. Ooooh it was beautiful. I didnt go in to the wedding because I looked like a hiker in a fur coat...which is quite rediculous when you think of it...but I would have crashed the party for sure if I could! Picture opportunity!
So I stared out the window for a few minutes....and then just before I left, I found the washrooms. Every good interior designer or person who appreciates it should Always check out the washrooms!! And man...it surpassed my expectations! The women's door is in a short hallway, directly at the end. It is opaque frosted glass in white with a black silouette of a woman on it. And then ......I walked in..and ...
OH MAN....I was standing there with my jaw hanging open..literally for about a minute or what seemed longer. There, right in front of me was a stunning black and white toilet with a huge window looking over Seoul to the mountains. WOW! It tops my top 10 list of the best toilets I've seen. (the word is toilet here for washroom, and I'm trying to get that into my head)
Yep, now I'm rambling, but who Cares!
So I had to run and meet Candice at another subway station...so off again. I wish i had time to go see the big palaces there...but I will have to at another time. Soo much to do, and so little time!
Met Candice at Namdaemun Market, and went looking at all the stuff. It really can get overwhelming but its so fun to see.
Then we went back to Suwon when it just got too overwhelming! I was carrying my backpack and a heavy bag with me too...then we went out dancing and to a noraebang (karaoke room) till 4am! Man, its been a looong time since I've stayed up that late! But noraebang is perrrfect late at night! Especially when you have a cold and your voice is hoarse anyway. The reverb that seems to be permanent on the mic isnt so bad then! lol
Sunday we got up and the mission was to go and get some hair stuff to do Candice's hair. I went and forgot my scissors and everything like a dumba** . So after eating a breakfast of 'toastuh' which is how you say 'toast' in Korean (heh heh). It's so yummy... fried egg and cheese with hot pepper sauce and mustard. Couldnt be any more perfect. (wow..hows that for crazy English). YUM. Sat there looking at the fortress gate under a red umbrella. I can't belive I'm FINALLY able to experience this!
Went to the hair supply store, and got LUCKY! I got a pair of scissors so cheap I dont even want to tell you! Okay okay, they were SEVENTEEN thousand won. Take the 'thousand' off and that's how much they cost in Canadian! OH MAN! I was like a kid in a candy store! CRAZY! Mind you they're probably not the best quality of metal..but who cares!!
Then we went and got my train ticket just to be sure. Last time I thought I could catch one pretty much any time, but they only go at 6:30 and 10:00. Last time I had to wait 2 hours to get the 10:00 train which got to Gwangju at 3 am. Nope...dont want to do that again.
Then back to the house to do Candice's hair...which turned out super cool...of course! ;) heh heh... and then by that time it was time for me to go. Ugh...not NEARLY enough time to do the stuff we wanted to.
Oh, before I forget, I have to say that we saw a girl getting her nails done, and she was having the tips painted in POLKA DOTS! man, I want mine like that!!! How cool is that? The trend is to leave the nail bare looking, and just paint the tips whatever you want. A pattern, or solid or a sparkle coating that fades off into your natural nail. Man, that's fun.
Well, that's about it for now. I gotta go baste in the realization that I've graduated to yellow belt. Yeehaw! And the taekwondo master invited me to his house on Sat afternoon. That will be interesting I'm sure! I'm trying to figure out how I work this though, because they will for sure be inviting me for dinner, and I dont' want to bother saying I'm vegetarian, because they'll get all stressed out about it...and not know what to do. Sometimes I've found its just better to not say it, and just pick out what you can eat. But I dont want to offend them either. Well, whaddya do.
Sidebar-I dont like using wood chopsticks anymore! I find that the metal skinny ones are better and easier! Imagine that! Ha!
Okay...time to go to bed.

Oh yah...Valentine's Day

It was a good day... It was a lovely morning waking up to a special email to start my day. Right on time too.
Got a lot of chocolates for the kids, and had fun giving them out....
..then today....I decided to get myself some roses. White of course, and a few pink....thinking about my Grandma Orlo. I can't believe that she's gone. So unreal.
So I'll think of her and some other people who are special to me everytime I look at them.
Bollucks Valentine's anyway! Why can't we do things nice everyday?

Well what a day. I started at 11 am as usual today, and about 15 mins before the end of class, Rachel came in and told me that Mr. Shim wanted to have lunch with me. Ugh...so I get all paranoid, wondering what's wrong, and getting all these thoughts in my head. How can u tell that I'm at what they call the 3 month blues.
It turns out that it was the 3 month let's take the English teachers out to dinner! Man, why do I do that to myself?! Anyway, it was a wonderful lunch at a really nice Chinese restaraunt. We had two traditional Chinese dishes, I wish I could remember the names of them, accompanied by Korean kimchi and radish and seaweed, etc... The service was impeccable, and it was served as a 5 course lunch. First the radish and kimchi and seaweed, with a plate of 'plankton' which was really surprisingly yummy. I never imagined eating plankton! I thought it was only something the creatures of the sea ate! But I should know better. Korea IS the sea! Well it seems like that's all u eat here! Cabbage and rice and seaweed and every animal from the sea imaginable, or unimaginable! Ha ha! Not that there's anything wrong with it.

....so back to the meal, the plankton was served beautifully in a mound with 3 pieces of something on the side that I actually tried. I thought it was a mussel or something, because it was a slice of something purple and around it was a brown jelly like substance. So, I was feeling like I could stomach something adventurous, and so I tried it. It turned out to be a duck egg! And it tasted like a smoky hard boiled egg! Interesting. And not that bad at all.
Then there was a soup of clear jelly like broth and small pieces of something white and orangy-red. It was a crab soup with egg. So I tried it too, and it was pretty good. The thing I have a hard time with is the slimy texture...but other than that...
Then we were served a plate of deep fried pork and a few veggies in sweet and sour sauce. I had some veggies. Yum.
And then fried rice. And then desert of lychee and pineapple. Yum! And of course through the whole thing was a wonderful green tea.
In terms of the interior- sigh- it was beautiful!!! Especially the chairs. They were authentic Chinese sitting chairs complete with dark stain and bowed back and arm rests. A bit narrower than I remember they were supposed to be, but it makes sense if the people are smaller. There was bamboo 'trees', and Chinese wood carved plaques on the wall. The walls were in dark grey plaster, floors in tinted concrete (dark grey-green) - quite nice, really. The walls on one side of the restaraunt, right over the raised 'traditional' platform were in a Gorgeous red wallpaper with gold designs on it. Oh...WHY did I forget my camera? Well, I suppose its about time that I exercise my writing abilities. Lazy English or no. (yes Michael..I admit it!)
And then, just as suddenly, after Mr. Shim said that Koreans eat fast...we were up and out the door!
It's amazing really, how food defines or is definative of a culture and country. I was just watching Jamie's Kitchen on TV. My new fave show...because I didnt ever watch TV at home in Vancouver very much on purpose. But I LOVE this guy! It's him on his trip to Italy right now. And something I noticed... everyone likes to wear gloves when cooking food, and they did in Italy too (on the show). Hmm..smart really. The red pepper paste can stain quite a bit, and cleanliness is comforting!
And tonight I actually went out to eat..and finally tried the Korean porridge restaraunts I keep passing. I had vegetable soup..and wow was that GOOD! I'll be a regular there! IT's rice with a thick broth...like when you cook oatmeal with lots of water, and it's slightly slimy. JUST how I like it. And smal chopped veggies.
I really miss cooking, but yet I dont because my time is experiencing now. Even though I can't cook and bake here that much, I'm enjoying learning that as a vegetarian, eating here isnt really that bad at all! I feel really quite healthy! Healthier than I have been in a long time. Yay!
But, today I got sick AGAIN. UGH. Must have been the Valentines chocolate. And/or me punishing myself worrying about stuff I dont need to. All of that. And I'm going to Seoul tomorrow and I ALWAYS manage to be sick! How does that happen???!

Argh...and speaking of...I'm going to go and sleep as much as I can tonight. Worrying myself sick isnt good!!

Where does the time go?

Well, here it is - the day before V day. And I'm reminiscing of Korean ways....I suppose not reminiscing, but contemplating. Yep, I feel like actually writing in a bit more of a proper English way. Okay, so much for that!

All the stores and streets are loaded with the 'frouffiest' (non-English word?!) Valentine stuff that you could even imagine. Big humonsterous (my own English word) baskets of 'stuff', huge stuffed animals or chocolates all individually wrapped and decorated as cute anything! Hard to explain all the stuff. Oh, but guess what. Valentines is different here because only the girls have to buy something for the guys! What the...?!! And then they developed a day called 'White Day' where the guys buy for the girls! Imagine that!

Oh, and there's 'Black Day' too. That's when everyone who is single wears completely black, and they eat black noodles with black sauce and EVERYTHING is black! That makes complete sense because of how this culture is traditional in the sense that everyone is pressured to get married or be married. There are wedding centers everywhere you look pretty much, and I think it would be great to be married here, because everything is here. Just rent the space for a day and presto! you're Cinderella wedding is right there!

Oh man, I was looking through the Hyundai Department store last night...and I thought I would go and look at the men's clothing for a change...and there were the most amazing ties! Wowzers! There were lots with flowers on them, and there was one in particular that looked pixellated and integrated were Swarovski Crystals in it! Damn! It was 75,000 won (or close to $75) Wowzers. It was BEAUTIFUL! Hmmmm...maybe I should get that for me! Nah!

So last week I finally got myself to the National Museum here in Gwangju. It was really quite interesting, especially because everything I saw there was also somethign I could buy on the street. Except that the new things are new, and the old things are really old- if that makes any sense! It had pottery that was the original celadon (I think that's right) which is the light green color that Korea is known for in its pottery glazes. And the most memorable thing for me besides the paintings from the 11 century were the coffins. They looked like capsules and they were made from clay-just like pottery would be. Of course! I asked my students, and they called them tombs. How very cool. You could probably fit at least 3-5 people in them too!

So Candice came down to visit me this weekend which was really quite refreshing. We went around town and then to the jimjilbang on Sunday. Man, I really dont know what I'm going to do when I go back home to Canada and I cant go to a jimjilbang! I'll be in the rec centre with all the rest of them! I can understand it soooo much more now!

So the last few weeks have been kind of hard for me because-as I found out- I'm at a 3 month 'hump' and I couldnt figure out what was wrong until Yu-gin, one of the teachers mentioned it. I was having all these stupid anxieties about everything like my performance, and other things in my life all bundled up, and what a relief it was for me to realize that it happens to most people. Not quite in the same way, but there is a shift of things. Its hard to explain, but I suppose its just growing pains.

Well, that's about it for now...I wish I could record every thought that comes into my head sometimes. There's just so much, but I realized that there is only so much I can share...because its one thing to write or read or listen to it, but it's a whole other thing clompletely to experience it. I just wish words could convey that sometimes...but then I'm so glad that they dont at times too.

Oh, I just remembered, I got the book 'Memoirs of a Geisha' and read it, and then the movie just opened here a week ago, and I finally went to see it. The one thing that struck me while I watched it was that I have such a different and maybe better understanding of the movie because I am pretty much living it here! Well, not quite- I'm not in Japan or in the early 18th century, but I'm here in Asia, and very close to Japan, and I've been there now, and wow!!!! If I saw this in Canada I would just relate to it on an American point of view. A movie that has simply been stylized; but being here and living amongst these people (who are different but similar to Japanese people) and living with the architecture and different ways and spaces and ergonomics and customs of Korea makes me understand it soooo much more!

It was just a sudden realization that while she looked up and over the rooftops of Kyoto for the first time, that I see that here and that's my reality too! But it's just mixed in with modern times too! How bizarre and wonderful and I'm sooooo thankful that I'm having this experience!

Now I just need to learn Korean sooo much faster! Apply myself would be a good thing! Its hard though when your job is to speak English all day! Okay so that's no excuse. Allrighty!!!

Okay time to sleep...till the next time.

Havin a bad Korea day

Oh man. Yah, I admit it...i don't love Korea everyday. Last night I was up till 2 am with other anticipations in my more personal life, and then today school was a bit crazy. Then at taekwondo tonight I didnt do as well as my expectations. The instructor did say that I was flexible enough...but poor John got what I call the horrific stretch. Oh someone putting the physical pressure on someone else's body isnt my idea of fun, or Johns! Poor guy, I felt that almost as much as he did! Man, i feel like a control freak sometimes. Not so cool..and than that makes me more annoyed! Whaddya do. Go to sleep and wait for tomorrow.

SO the next issue is that I havent been learnign Korean as fast as I'd like. I just have to use my memory and practice and USe it more...I'm good at listening..but the speaking is another ting sometimes. It's good in a way because it makes me remember what it's like to learn another language, and the awkwardness of speaking it...and that makes me empathize with my students better. I've been somewhat guaging it by John, my co-worker, as we have arrived in Korea at the same time...and he's learnign faster than I am...darnit!

The next thing is that I'm trying to decide where the best website is for putting my albums of pictures. As you should know I love taking LOTS of pictures, as I think it really tells a story better than words at times. That might be because I'm such a visual person. Sometimes I think nothing gets through my head unless I visualize it or see it. That can be good and possibly bad at times. Whaddya do once again.

This past weekend (long weekend of the New Years Doggy - heh) I went to Mokpo, a coastal city about an hour away from Gwangju. I'm Sooo glad I went! The big attractions there were for me, the ocean, then Yundul mountain, and then the museums. It was sooo wonderful to be near the ocean again. It amazes me how powerful it is...the draw of it too.
Then I went on a taxi ride, with a woman taxi driver! cool! to the Yundul mountain, and the one place I wanted to go to was closed, and then across the road was a Buddhist monestery/temple, so I hiked up the stairs to that. Then I came back down and walked along the road when i heard music coming from the mountain. I looked up and tried to find the commotion...and decided that I shoudl go and check it out. So I went up one big set of stairs...then along 'stone paved' paths to more stairs and paths and stairs and stairs and paths to a statue, and lots of 'lookout' temple structures. The darker it got, and the higher I got, the more amazing it was.

Man, I'm sooo glad I came here to experience this..FINALLY! Another country and culture...why is it that I thrive on this? Dunno...but I love it. The mountain was also lit by lights that changed color. There's lots of lights that change color in Korea...on buildings...all of that..on mountains..anything. I love it!
So that was a night, and I walked down this hill to downtown. I swear everything in Korea in terms of what's in the stores is the same. But that's allright...then you know what you're gonna get anywhere! Ha! Then I took an adventurous taxi ride and asked for a jimjilbang (sauna) that was open 24 hrs. Some of the are open all night with sleeping rooms and some arent..so I had to make sure. Of course then was the time when the taxi driver, who was around 22 kept saying that I could stay at his house! Um...NOT! But thanx for the offer! ha haa.
A stay at the jimjilbang is definitely a thing that I wish everyone could appreciate! You go in for a nice shower, and srubadub, and a hot tub soak, and any temperature you want...well two or three temperatures anyway. A sauna in all temperatures..at least 4 or 5. Then get some clothes on (shorts and tshirts issued to you in the sauna colors). Then to find the place to sleep on a warm marble floor..ohhhh yeahhhhh! The only thing was that it was a bit noisier than I might like. There were families with brand new babies there all awake at midnight. Interesting how that works.
Sleeping on a hard warm floor is actually easier than I thought. At one point the room I was sleeping in was a bit warmer than I wanted, so I moved to another room. At one point, the cafe lady came to me and put a blanket and pillow on me...how sweet are these people?! A little later, I wasnt quite asleep...was somewhat tossing and turning, and then a mother and her baby on her back came in. There was a big window, and she stood there and sang her baby to sleep...and me too! I was thinking...how magical is a mother's lullaby...and how precious. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..............

The next morning was interesting to wake up to. There I was in a jimjilbang! IT wasnt so awkward after all. I got up, went to find a massage chair that wasnt being slept in by another person, and had a morning massage. NICE! THen down to have a nice long scrub shower, and hot tub...and on the road again!

I went for a walk after, and discovered I was a lot closer to the beach than I thought! It was so nice to be right at the water again. A father and his son was flying their kite there. That was neat.
Then I found a taxi, and went to the museums. WOW. The architecture was amazing. I ended up going to the Natural History Museum which was amazingly put together-combining great architecture with a wonderfully laid out display of everything from dinasaurs to insects of any type you can imagine.
THen back to the bus terminal, and back home. YAY.
Whew!
Gotta sleep now...till next time!

New Year Comin Up

Yes, the Asian or Lunar new year is this Monday here in Korea. This morning I got to work, and the director said, "Wendy, come here." Of course I'm so silly to think, okay what did I do, and he brought me into the 'office' and pointed to a 'group' of bags on the floor, and said "Happy New Year!!!" How sweet was that. So it was what I thought it would be.

Apparently the gifts that are given are either a gift set of no less than two or four tubes of toothpaste and at Least 4 bars of soap, and 3 plus body washes. Yep. Happy New year!
But then the other alternative is an alcohol set of some sort. One BIG bottle, or 3 or so bottles of nice Korean rice or berry wine or someting complete with little 'tea' cups. The cups are NEVER in groups of four, only three or two or maybe five. Yep. Four is a BAD number. Doesnt matter if you have 2 couples coming over....hmm that's a thought. I wonder if Koreans do invite 2 couples cuz the number. Huh.

The New year here is just like Christmas here. They told us at school today that a lot of Korean women work so hard that afterwards they have to go to the hospital or take medication!! As in cooking and serving and entertaining, etc... Wowzers!

Anyway....I wonder if Sex and the City is really a good show for me to watch. Its about one of the only tv shows i really enjoy because yes, I can identify. But my gosh!

Well, I wanted to go to Seoul for New Years, but I thik I'll have to stay home. Maybe go to the coast or something would be fun. Yah, I might just do that. A trip by myself perhaps. One to do some artwork. Yah, i think it's about time I do that. And I can maybe afford sometime to get an EASEL! Wooohooo! I can hardly wait.

So taekwondo is going well. I'm so glad that I'm taking it. It's moving along quite fast considering. Apparently in Korea the levels go along quite a lot faster than in the 'Americas'. I'll be hopefully getting my yellow belt next month. Yay! But i've got a lot to learn though. I'm so glad to be exercising though. A new obsession...

So I've finished reading "Memoirs of a Geisha" and I can hardly wait to go see it in the theatres this weekend. Yep, its just opening here this weekend. What is that, at least a month later than Canada? I think so.

Cats *the Broadway play* is coming at the beginning of Feb too. I hope I can go and see that. We'll see.

Well, time to go to bed. Talk soon....

Monoculturalism

Yep. I think that's the biggest thing about being here in Korea. The MONO culturalism. Everyone looks the same, dresses the same, acts the same...eats the same.... and I wonder if they think of doing anything different. And actually I'm somewhat appreciative. But I wouldnt trade it for the opportunity of knowing the things about different cultures and the people in them like I do...and that's what I love about life. And the fact that after all of that...we're all the same: humans. We all feel the same things generally, and act the same way generally, and love, and cry, and eat, and sleep...yep. We might think and act differently in some ways, like personal space or our methods of speaking or reacting or presenting ourselves to the world, or behaviours towards our family and friends and the outside world...but really, we're all the same species. Just different shades.

So, now that I've been in another far off land for almost 2 and a half months, coming on 3 already, its so interesting to observe what I've learned, and how I've become comfortable walking outside, and reminding myself that I am indeed in another country, and I love it. I can explore new things, and practice and learn another language on the basis of survival, and not just pure interest or to brag. ;) heh heh.

It's so much fun to see our differences too. Sure, they might not be quite what I'm used to, but that's the beauty of it. As far as I'm concerned, God has a great sense of humor! Mr. Creative Himself.

So, it was John's birthday today. He's 25. What a great age to be teaching English in a foreign country. Man, I wish I could have done this at his age. Anyway, I made him wear the crown that they have the kids wear when they have their birthdays. The staff at school sang him happy birthday...and tonight we went out to a place called Miller Time and they all sang him happy birthday in a Korean way of doing it, and they got Liz up with John 'on stage' to dance for the whole place! Ha! All the koreans watching the birthday boy dance! They gave us hats to put on so we could all get a Polaroid taken, and of course I wore the big a** fro! Woohooo!
Koreans are such hospitable and wonderful people.

Oh, which reminds me, they have a TV program here where a guy has one rose....no, it's not 'the bachelor', and about 10-15 girls have to dance as sexy as they can for him, and then he gives the rose to the sexiest dancer! haha! It's quite fun and entertaining to watch...and yes, sometimes embarrasing.

So without further adieu, I'm going to have to go to bed. I have volunteered to help at church tomorrow. Yep, I'm the English teacher there as well! Ha ha.

I hope I can get the movie of John on here....if not, I'll ahve to find another way of sharing a Korean style birthday with y'all.

Later!

Today

I get off work at 2 on Fridays which makes it quite a lovely weekend and Friday! Soooo glad. But then I dont know what to do. I'm scared to go shopping or 'eye shopping' as they call it here because U know how I am. Too much to buy! So, here I am at home. I guess it's good, so I can clean up my place once in a while. You really have to be on top of that here, cuz all these little itsy bitsy scurrying ants just find EVERY crumb you've got in a minute if you're not careful. So it's good...it's teaching me to be cleaner which is a good thing. Good thing I have a small space then!

It's John's birthday today, and we all sang him happy birthday and I went and made him wear the crown that they put on all the kids when they ahve a birthday. IT was hilarious! Heh heh.

I gotta run downtown in a minute. I will be meeting Rachel, *a girl from work* and looking for a present for John.

Last night I had to do some taekwondo again. They told us that we had to come for 'exercise', and just how nicely they do it, you cant refuse. And I dont really mind. I can learn more Taekwondo! It's so beautiful, really. I just see it as choreography that is really useful if you need it!

The moves he showed us last night are getting a bit more complicated...its fun, and I'm soooo glad I'm doing it.

K, I gotta run. Later!

What a day

Well, I had the second lesson in Taekwondo. It's kinda funny cuz John and I are the only white belts there. White is the beginning belt color. So we get called up in front of about 30 kids that are black belt to learn our white belt lessons! Great. Yep, we get the initial giggles, but overall I think they're just amused at two whities that are foreigners learning the ropes!
We start the class by doing some warm ups, and part of that are the basic kicks and punches. I can hardly wait till I can do the spin around one. It's the first time i've tried to do it, and i think i really like the feeling. Wow...I cant' believe I"m learning Taekwondo in Korea! Wowzers!
So, we learned the basic punches today, so I think I got it. It's easy..but it's choreography. I love it.
I'l finish this later. Gotta sleep

Pinnochio

The kids called me Pinnochio today! Lmao!!! I never thought of what it would be like in in reverse! Ha ha! I suppose it could look like that to a Korean! Ha ha.
That's about it really. I gotta get some sleep. I keep staying up super late cuz I cant seem to sleep. hmmmm.....
G'nite.

Breakthrough!

Well, I say breakthrough because I had the worst and best class today. In one of the classes called the 'orange' class that I was teaching... I went in with a little white board and was getting them to write their name and speak certain English phrases along with it; like, "can i have the marker please?" We were all doing fine, and I had all of their attention when all of a sudden I noticed one of the girls that is usually really good and just sits there without causing any kind of trubble giving one of the other girls a really huge scolding, and so much that she started bawling her eyes out. They all started coutning to 10, and then by the end of it she was a mess! (Mike, if you're reading this it was Ella and Becky). So Ella just kept on yelling right at Becky and Becky just kept on bawling. And then all the rest of the kids joined in. It was horrible! But it turned out to be a good thing only in terms of English, cuz I was asking Ella why she was so angry, and I heard most of the class speak more English that I thought they were capable of! Wowzers. Strange how that happens.

Anyhoo...in regards to my ailment of feeling really spaced out..today I really feel much much better and more myself. I guess it was just a phase. It's not quite over yet, but I feel better at least.

I"m on a longer break than normal right now because two classes are out doing something else. That's fine with me! So- I went downstairs to the piano school, and tinkered around on the piano for half hour. Man, I am SOOOO in need of practice. The piano teacher likes me enough to let me come in and play whenever, which I really like. Maybe I'll get back on track with piano, and who knows, maybe I'll take piano lessons too!

I'm on such a high right now. Just can't believe how easy my life is here. I have less stress in a way than i ever have in my life. I love my job, I like where I live, I like the friends I have made here, I have a constant challenge to learn Korean (the language), and I'm earning more than I have ever earned in my life, AND I can pay my bills at home off! My Mastercard has been in arrears for a few years now, even though my account is cancelled, but now i can finally pay the 500 that i owe! How pathetic is that? And my lawyer from my divorce years ago who has died in the process...poor guy. What a relief to feel like I can pay that stuff off. Wow.

AND I can afford to save a bit up for a new digital camera and a laptop hopefully. We'll see. I'd really like to come home for my girlfriend Alison's wedding in June though...Hmmm.... We'll see.

Kay I gotta run to class. Here goes!

MAN I love Korea!!

Yah, you heard me! I had such a good day today! It was so much fun. Well, I went to church to hang out with my Korean friends. THey are sooo super sweet. So hospitable. I got there just as church was out...and everyone was eating in the 'cafeteria'. They invited me in, and I got to eat lunch Korean potluck style. YUM. Rice and veggies, and Korean radish soup, that I thought was potatoes, but apparently not! And I think one of the best things about Korean food that I like is the bean or pepper paste. It's so yummy with veggies and stuff. With anything, really.

Anyway....it just so happened that there was a wedding after! So we went upstairs, and after a few minutes of people singing some hymns, the bride and groom walked up the aisle hand in hand, and 15 mins later it was all done! The only decorations were balloons in flower formations on the aisles! Oh, and the prettiest flower arrangements in the front. I'll try to add a picture. It was quite casual, really. The groom wore white gloves, and so the the bride in her traditional Korean dress in bright yellow and magenta. Afterwards one of the kids went up and gave her a bouquet of roses, and that was that. Everyone paraded by to congratulate them, and then the pictures. One of the girls there grabbed my hand, and sat me right beside the pastor and the bride, and everyone else sat behind. Wow...that was cool. I felt just like I could report that on National Geographic or something. It was just like some stories I've read there, except I'd have to sharpen up my writing A LOT! Ha ha. Then they brought in a cake, and moved the pulpit to the front in the middle, and put the cake up on it for a cake cutting picture- and that was that.

Then we had our meeting for next weekends camp at the church. I will help out with the kids and English stuff. Sounds allright to me. It was interesting sitting in on a meeting in Korean! Everyone sitting on the 'ondol' or heated floor.

Then later in the afternoon I went for a walk down Art street. I stopped in my favorite store that has gorgous tea pots and cups and everything you'll want for a tea party! I talked to the lady there, and I was talking to her (she had surprisingly good English) about tea ceremonies, and it turns out that she teaches it! Apparently it takes a year to learn! Wowzers! I wonder what it all involves! So now I've got a really good contact to see a real tea ceremony! Woohoo!

Then I went and decided to really get some paper that I saw before. It turns out that a sheet of paper that is approx 3.5 feet by 30" is a little more than a dollar! The fancy stuff too. So I got 6 of them for 8000 won. Woohooo! I walked out feeling like I just got gold or something. So now they're up on my wall cuz I didnt have anything on the walls, and I was feeling like I needed something. And now I have something that feels authentic too. It's so gorgeous!

Then I went by a shoe store, and so far I've been just pretty much ignoring them because the largest size is 250 (or 250 mm) and I'm 255. GRRRR. But I just thought, I'm gonna try these boots on for the fun of it to see if I can possibly fit into them, and I really didnt expect them to fit but GUESS WHAT? They DID! So I got a really cool pair of boots for so-called half price for 40,000 won. Man I love this! I think that just made my whole month! I found shoes that Fit me in Korea!

Then I met up with the ppl from church again, and we went to see Narnia. That was a good movie! It was just as I hoped it would be. What a symbolic story. The graphics were great. Sometimes I feel like I'm in Narnia here in Korea! Like a wonderland that I cant believe I'm really living here! I'm soooo grateful for the opportunity to finally experience another culture in another country altogether.

Oh, before we went to the movie, we went into a sticker picture store. Yep, they have stores here so you can go and dress up and take your picture with your friends. I've been wanting to for a long time, so I finally did. Yay!!! It was so much fun! I'll try and post that sometime too.

Okay, I really gotta sleep now. It's 3 am! I just cant seem to sleep at normal times lately. I think I need some really good exercise. I can hardly wait to start taekwondo on Monday!
Goodnight!

a letter to a friend

a letter to a friend in korea....thought i'd share it....
oh, and you'll have to excuse the 'no caps, poor grammar, etc' here...but i love being lazy online. it's just more fun that way.

im at school on a break. thought i'd leave u a message. im doing fine...feeling quite happy now, andwondering how in the heck i got myself a job that i really like. i was calculating my money and thinking...wowzers! i can really do this! all i really have to do is show up and talk to the kids! craziness! play games and stuff. and think of them!
and guess what. i signed up for takwondo and john and i wil be starting on monday night! Wierd! i can harldy wait. it's a block away from my house which makes it super convenient, and for two nights a week it's only 40 000! plus 30 000 for the uniform. ya i can do that! i am going to be wondering if im going to do well in it, or if i'm going to want to do it more. they said somethingn like 70 000 for every day of the week, or maybe it was just that they were giving us a deal from 70 to 40. dunno. who cares. im gonna live the kill bill dream! lmao.
my only complaint at the momment is that i cant get rid of this kink in my neck. grrrr. i keep sleeping wierd, or maybe its the hardness of the mattress. dunno.
and i went into Puma store last night and tried on some clothes. man..i can get a whole track suit for 150 000. sounds like fun to me. and i'm losing alot of weight...so i have a hope of getting into some super large korean pants! haha. i did go to home plus the other day, and found that i can fit into some clothes there. woohoo. some were really cute too.
i've lost 10 lbs so far. man this is great!

i've been doin that korean book i got with the cd. man it's really good. i can recognize a lot more than i thought. i think i'll do that every time i think of it...listen to the cd and do a lesson or two...and i'll be speaking in no time. yayy.
kay. gotta run

Guess what?

I just signed up for Taekwondo last night!! John and I are going up for battle I guess...unless there are other students in the class. Ha ha! I'm actually going to do it! The instructor is a 'master' of taekwondo, and he had quite a few medals on his wall. He is also in university for takwondo. I gotta figure out how to spell that right. We met the head instructor as well. They take takwondo very seriously it seems. But lightly as well. We went in with our slippers into the office, and they sat us down and were very hospitable. The price is really good too. 40,000 won for a month of classes 2x a week. Apparently its usually 70,000 won for classes every day a week I think, or its that price usually for what we are going to take. Either one. We start next Monday night, and we get our uniforms then too. Woohoo! I cant' believe I'm really goign to learn it in Korea!

The younger master said it will be hard. I'm not sure if that's physically hard or hard because of our language differences. Apparently they will teach us mostly in Korean, and I hope so because that means I'll learn words in Korean for things faster. Yayyy.

I'm excited because I have wanted to do this for a long time, but it was always too much. And also to get into shape. I have lost a bit of weight because of walking and all the stairs here. Probably because I was sick too. So I feel stronger to start doing something like this.

It's funny seeing how the kids all of a sudden whip out takwondo moves. Some of them are pretty good at it and could probably really hurt you if they wanted to!

I'm reading the book 'Memoirs of a Geisha' that I got in Seoul. I've been wanting to read it for a couple years, so I'm finally doing it. Especially because the movie is coming out. I'm learning a lot about geishas and its interesting now that I've been to Japan, and I'm learning the customs of Korean and Asian culture by living here, and understanding things about the story that I wouldnt completely if I wasnt here. It's interesting that I'm living here and happen to be reading this book here.

Well, gotta run to get ready for the next class. Later!

Land of Slippers

Ha ha, that title cracks me up. Its so true though...and I'm really liking it. Makes you feel so much cleaner. Anyway...
This weekend was quite uneventful. Stayed home all day Saturday. Did nothing. Was quite nice. EVer since I've come back from Seoul, I've been feeling really quite strange- like I'm in a daze or something. Its a combination of everything I suppose. Grandma passing on, and it feels so disconnected from the whole situation. Not sure how to deal with it, or how to make it feel real. Not that I really want it to feel real, but its just part of dealing with it generally I suppose.

Also, I've been dealing with the fact that it's time to work again. I like working with the kids, and I'm glad I'm doing it. It's such a learning experience. One, working with kids, and two, working with the Korean culture and ways of doing things. All the unspokens, and the things spoken, and the read between the lines kindof stuff. In a way, I really like the fact that I dont understand Korean. It just helps me not to worry about stuff I really dont need to, or dont need to know. If it was in Canada, I'd probably be all stressed about things I dont really need to....so there!

Also, I am just realizing that I'm really here, and I'm living my life in Korea for the rest of the year. It's going by fast, but it's going to be a while too. There's some important people that are in Canada that I was wondering, how on earth am I going to do this? Another 10 months? But then I talk to them, and I get all the encouragement I need to go through with it. Its funny. I knwo I've come here for a reason, and I'm so glad I have. I look at the whole world so much differently. Especially the people who have immigrated to another country such as Canada, and have uprooted their whole lives to start in another one. Wow...its hard, and I have respect for them.

I really gotta sleep soon, it's almost 2 am...but I slept in so much this morning, that I think it's going to balance out.

The other thing is, I really need to learn Korean. I need to buckle down and take the time to learn it. And I have to determine what is the best way to do that. I got a few books in Seoul that are helping a lot. (Mike, I did get that one by Stephen Revere, so we'll see-thanx for the reference). I also got the book Memoirs of a Geisha, and I'm enjoying getting into a book that I really like to read. That hasnt happened in a long time. And I can hardly wait to see the movie when it comes out.

Okay, here goes another week. Hopefully I'll feel more grounded and more myself soon. I think I have to go and exercise more is the deal. Tone up and everything. SO glad I'm losing weight...and today I found some pants that will fit me! WHew!

Gnite!

Another day

Today marks some new changes at Kids Club. Mr. Shim came in to explain them to us a little more. We teach 50 min classes now, and we have to have them memorize a statement or sentence. Then at the end of the class, they have to line up and tell the teacher what that sentence was. They also have to do their homework that we have to give them everyday, and report this to their parents. And, and and. I'm trying to keep it all together, and remember it all myself at this point!
My schedule changes too. Not a lot, but I start at either 10 or 11. I will miss coming in at 1:30 on Tues and Thurs. Oh well. I think I'll like this change, because it feels that I have something to follow to keep the kids and my thoughts on track. Like we're really accomplishing something. Also, there is the other school that we will be teaching at on every other Thursday. I'm not sure if I'm going there yet or not. I thought so, but we'll see. Doesnt really matter to me. It is a nice school, though. I feel bad that I couldnt meet the rest of the teachers before Christmas when they had an opening dinner. I was so sick that day.
My computer isn't working again. I'm dumb and didnt put a virus checker on it when I redid Windows, and was surfing around and got myself some nasty viruses. Dumb, dumb, dumb! Urgh. So, I'll have to get someone in to see what they can do. I wonder how much that is going to be. Hmmmmm. I think I should save up for a laptop. And I would like another camera too.
Oh man, in Seoul there was a huge dept store for just electronics. Woohooo.....the whole first floor was cameras. I found a really cool one that I would love to get sometime. It's very small and fast. It's a Lexis I think it's called, and it had a Leica lens. Yep...sounds good. The salesman said it's a very good 'number one' camera as well. I do know that a Leica lens is top of the line, if I understand that right. It's only 275! The one Canon camera that I would like, which the salesman said was "very expensive' was only 500! Wooooo! I can handle that expensive! That included a battery, warranty, and I'm sure I could get them to include a tripod too, and a better memory card, and a case too. Ya, that would be nice! So when I save enuff, if I actually do that, I'll have to get one.
Man, I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm all stressed out or worried about stuff I guess. Not sure exactly why. It's like I've unwound. I gotta wind back up somehow!! I dont like being bla.
So apparently I've lost weight, cuz YuJin noticed it today. Some other people have said that too. Well I'm not complaining! But the only thing is that I'm going to have to find a sewing machine and some fabric to make myself some better clothes to fit me! Not sure how that will happen, or if it will. My pants are driving me nuts falling off me all the time! Horrible! Ha ha!

Well, that's the news for now. THere's so much more I want to write, but then when I sit down here, I can't remember it all! Allrighty.....later! Till next time.....

Trying

Today is Tuesday, the second day back at work. I'm having a real hard time staying awake today, and I'm feeling quite sad and maybe a bit depressed. So much has been happening, and it didnt help that I had a nightmare last night. Dreams are wierd here it seems. I wonder if I've really had a good dream that I remember. Why is it that it's so much easier to remember the bad ones?!! Well I suppose it's because I wake up fast with the bad ones and that means I remember them cuz they were interrupted.

Anyway, I'm feeling much better lately. The 'flu' shot I got here really helped. Quite interesting really. Got the shot on the butt. Why do they work there anyway? The nurse gave quite a good shot, really. I didnt even feel it, and she was slapping my butt and she gave it (sorry for the graphic!)...which I always want...I mean, I always ask them to pinch me while I get a shot. It makes it so much easier to deal with. A distraction...and that was!

I still have a cough from my lungs getting used to or rid of the bronchitis. I sure hope that goes soon. But I'm not too terribly worried. Oh, I gotta run...oops....will write more later. Got someone super important online to chat to;)