Tuesday, April 29, 2008

"Life is venture..."

Seen on a T-shirt on the subway today: "Life is venture or nothing." I think it is a tribute to Helen Keller's quote at the top of my blog page! :)

USA!


Today I made my way up to the US embassy (American soil) to add some pages to my passport! I have always wanted to have to add pages! :) It doesn't expire for a couple more years and I am running out of space! Since I had the day off anyway, I decided to devote it to taking care of this matter (which I knew would take a long time and would most likely be a frustrating process). It turned out not to be frustrating, but it did take them 6 1/2 hours to tape a chunk of pages into my book! (I think I could have done it in 6 1/2 seconds!) The picture above was taken right in front of the embassy. Notice how many police are guarding with their big sticks--there were at least thirty that I counted surrounding the perimeter. Here is a preview of the new additions (24 in all):


At the top of each page is a patriotic quote. Here's my favorite: "This nation has a banner...it is the banner of Dawn. It means Liberty... Every color means liberty; every thread means liberty." ~Henry Ward Beecher. I like this one too (last one, promise): "It is immigrants who brought to this land the skills of their hands and brains to make of it a beacon of opportunity and hope for all men." ~Herbert H. Lehman. Ahhh... Inspiring...


While I waited for my passport to be finished, I hung out at this coffee shop: SandPresso. I had an onion flavored blueberry bagel (I didn't order it that way) with strange tasting cream cheese alternative and an americano that tasted very Korean somehow. Needless to say, SandPresso failed to impresso me, but they had a great stack of home decor magazines that kept me busy for an hour and a half, dreaming of decorating the house I don't have (and won't have for a looong time).

Monday, April 28, 2008

Update


Ha ha! Last week I posted about wanting to be more positive and then I haven't updated my blog since then! Some people might think the positivity must not be going well (you know, "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all")! Well, the truth is, I have been pretty sick the past few days. I started feeling funny last Thursday and have pretty much been in bed since then (except for work on Friday).

A few updates:

First, I was given both today (Monday) and tomorrow off since I have to attend and present at an all day seminar on Wednesday. Today and tomorrow are testing days for the students and half days for teachers, so my co-teachers felt that it would be a fair exchange. That worked out nicely.

Second, I am getting ready and gearing up for my trip next week! A few posts ago, I mentioned I was going somewhere, but didn't say where. Well, my next destination is Tokyo! I will be gone from Thursday until Monday. We have a lot of random days off work these next few weeks (Parent's Day, Children's Day, Buddha's BDay, etc). This is the third of my three Asian trips planned for this year (Bali, Thailand, Japan). I traveled with Kara for the first two trips (which went really well--we are really compatible travel buddies!), but for the last one, I decided to go solo (also, because Kara and I didn't have the same days off). My last solo trip was Prague and I had an awesome time, so I have high expectations for Tokyo! :)

Third, things have been getting better lately (despite being sick right now)! Mostly because I decided they would, but isn't that how it works? I know that I have under 4 months left here, and I am ready to get on with it! :)

Monday, April 21, 2008

April 21st

My birthday is next week! Good news: it is my school's foundation day and there is no school on my birthday for the whole school! I've been looking forward to it for months and have planned a day-trip for myself! :) Bad news: I found out today that I have to go to a seminar all day and listen to other foreign teachers present examples of their lessons and participate in discussion groups about these lessons. :( This news quickly brought me down this morning and it was hard for me not to let it ruin my day. Especially since it will be my birthday and I have to sit at a boring seminar all day. I am such a whiner! This should NOT be a day ruining piece of information!

A few weeks ago I watched an interview where the person made a comment I have thought about since. She talked about all of her life's trials and how they caused her to exude so much negativity, but how she didn't want that to be her life's contribution to the world. I think that is a good way to look at things. There have been a lot of obstacles in my life here in the past months. I have felt every bump in the road which has been exaggerated by the fact that I am in Korea and not at home. I will use an example from my daily life to illustrate this point: it's like sitting on the back of the bus vs. sitting up in the front. In the back, when the driver hits a bump it feels like you've jumped a mountain and you bounce out of your seat a little and have to hang on for dear life, but in the front, it barely seems like you've even gone over a bump at all. Korea is like riding in the back of the bus for me lately--it's the same bump, but it feels bigger. However, I have to reflect on what the woman said in the interview and stop letting things affect me so much. Even if things are rough sometimes, I have to learn to react differently. I don't want negativity to be my contribution to the world either. I would rather have joy and peace be my contribution. Sounds a little Mother Teresa of me, doesn't it? Ha ha!

Just some thoughts I've been working on...

Saturday, April 19, 2008

More pics from today:


Rain or shine! Umbrellas are the way to go in Korea if you are worried about the sun affecting your skin! I personally opt for the Vitamin D and suntan!


This mini-pagoda was on the opposite side of the lake.


View from my spot on the grass. How relaxing! I could hardly even hear the traffic noises!


Note the face mask on the left. I'm not sure if this one is for the yellow sand/pollution or if it is a cosmetic surgery cover. I only saw a few today, so it must be surgery!


And finally, my amputee shot. No arm and no foot! Haha! I've been watching old re-runs of America's Next Top Model and they always have lots to say about the girls who have parts missing! :) I guess I would be eliminated pretty quickly! :)

The past few days...


This is my new favorite drink! I have been craving apple juice lately, but really haven't seen any around until the other day. It was hard for me to decide what it was exactly, but the picture of the apple helped a little! :)


Also, just for fun, Kara and I decided to try out some of these fake eyelashes that are sold everywhere. Actually, we each bought a set, but haven't tried them yet. We are trying to figure out the best way to apply them without damaging our natural ones. When I get them on, I will be sure to post a pic--if they look good, I might occasionally wear them out--they seem extremely popular with celebrities! I have the feeling that these little strips of acrylic hair are going to give me more trouble than they are worth, though! :)


While gym shopping the other day, I spotted some strawberries for sale on the street! I picked up two cartons for three bucks! Not bad! They were so delicious that I ate most of them by the next day. I will have to hunt for some more this week!

These next few weeks for me might be a little long--the students are preparing for midterms and many of my classes have been canceled. The nice thing for me is that I can bring a book to school and sit outside in the sun for a few hours on those days! I am ahead in my lesson planning and can't help out with other duties because of my lack in language. I have to do something other than stare at the computer all day, so I bring my book (and don't feel guilty because my co-workers do it too!).

Ilsan


Today was a really hot, sunny day--in the 80's! My friend and I went to the largest man-made lake in Korea. We took the train really far north to get there, which meant that the park wasn't too crowded and we felt like we weren't in Seoul anymore! It was really medicinal for me to go today since things have been a little rough lately. We walked around for awhile, treated ourselves to ice cream and found a spot on the grass to read and relax for awhile!


The lake was surprisingly clean and loaded with giant koi fish. The atmosphere was wonderful and relaxing, the scenery was beautiful and people were in a good mood all day!

This park has become on of my favorite places in all of Korea so far! The only other place that rivals it is Bukhansan--the mountain I climbed in the fall. I will be back to this park!

Monday, April 14, 2008

Black Day

I forgot to mention that today was Black Day here in Korea. February 14th was the day girls gave gifts to the guys, March 14th was the day guys reciprocated, and April 14th is for the singles who have nobody (as described to me by my Korean co-worker). I guess this is the day that the singles decide to go out and find themselves a boyfriend/girlfriend. We ate some black stew for lunch to commemorate the day (it didn't taste too bad, actually, but I have no idea what it was). A few girls at school have blind dates set up for this weekend... :)

I doused my wrists with a new perfume by Victoria Beckham earlier tonight. Every now and then I get a whiff of it and think, "what smells so good in here...oh, wait, thats me!" I have to admit I am kind of liking the fragrance.

No More California

Korea has been a little bit of a struggle for me this past month and a half--I'm not going to lie. I'm not sure why I have been in this funk, but I've stayed in it longer than I've cared to. I definitely have a respite from my day that has become almost necessary for me: the gym. It has been the place I can be myself and in a culture I know. I have gone nearly every day for a LONG time and have met lots of new friends during my workouts there. Well, today I was hit with a cold, harsh reality: California Wow has gone bankrupt and is closed. They have taken the cash, closed the doors and disappeared. Police, angry crowds and bewildered staff stood around as I arrived at the gym to see this:


I guess this is something that happens now and again in Korea. The owner has more money going out than coming in (which is interesting because the gym has been extremely crowded the past two weeks, and just yesterday, I saw people signing contracts and handing over their credit cards). I guess when this kind of thing happens, it is common for it to go down quietly to reduce shame and save face.


Needless to say, it is quite a shock for me. I have lost 5 months worth of membership money (which I prepaid back in September), but more importantly, I have lost the thing which has kept me grounded here in Korea lately. No more California Wow. I am determined to keep training for my 10K and 1/2 marathon, but am not sure where or how. What a bummer.

Update 4/15: I've started checking around for new gyms, but the prognosis doesn't look good. The best price a gym could give me for a 3 month membership was $450! Unbelievable! This is such a bummer for me and I am really mourning the closing of this gym--I sound like I am overreacting, but really, a gym membership has always been non-negotiable for me as it is my favorite way to release stress. There is no place for me to exercise: the air is toxic outside at the moment due to the yellow dust that is blowing in from China. Help!!!!

Friday, April 11, 2008

Dinner with the art teachers.

Tonight was one of those times I wished I had better Korean language skills. I have often thought that it would be great to somehow instantly implant language into my brain for quick communication ease--like some kind of computer chip or something. After school today, I was invited out by the two art teachers. These two guys have become some of my favorite people in Korea. They are so easy going and unassuming. They treat me as a normal person and don't draw attention to my alienness. One of them is Mr. Ko, the one who's art exhibit I attended in the fall. The other one, Mr. Kim, has this great, deep, nasaly voice that reminds me of the singer Shaggy (the one who sings "Darlin' you're my angel, you're my darlin' angel, closer than my peeps you are to me, baby")--one day before I leave, I want to request that he sing that song in the karaoke room! These two guys invited me to be their guests for dinner--they brought me to a Korean restaurant and treated me to as much food and drink as I could handle. We weaved in and out of conversation topics and enjoyed our time despite communication breakdown. We had plenty to talk about and when we didn't understand each other, we just said "no problem" and moved on. Great! I do wish I could speak with them--I think we really have a lot of things in common.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Pictures from Yeouido


A cotton candy street vendor.


The 63 building. It is the tallest one in Korea and is gold--hard to miss! :)


Old woman gear: over-sized sunvisor, face mask, gloves and sneakers! It is very common to see this outfit!


Street food: corn dogs (I think), boiled eggs, rice noodles and various meat products packaged in interesting ways.



One more shot near the river!

Please, throw this life ring to the drowning person!


"Please, throw this LIFE RING to the drowning person!" I think I might need that ring pretty soon! Work has been getting more and more difficult! I come home so exhausted each night after teaching all day. I have been teaching morning classes for a couple of weeks (as well as my regular schedule) and find myself drained of energy each day! Of course, I am getting paid for the extra hours, but still... The good thing is that it keeps me busy and the time is flying by! I noticed that I have started on the 3rd of 6 chapters in my textbook that I am required to teach this term! And, midterms are in a couple of weeks--wow! I am half way through my 8th month in Korea. Four more to go--I'm in the home stretch! :)

My work situation has improved since last term (it wasn't bad before, it is just better now). I really have been enjoying my new co-workers. It is refreshing to have other's around that I can speak to (in English)--I really have a lot in common with some of them and they are less shy about speaking to me. Also, I know the students better this term and fell less like a fish out of water. I have a few students who stop by my desk daily to practice English (and one student who likes to practice German with me). Some students have spent years in the States or in Canada and have a little bit of a hard time transitioning back into Korean school culture.

By the way, I have a 5-day weekend coming up in May and will be taking a mini-trip on my own! Through working these extra hours, I have been able to pay off both my plane ticket and my hotel with about $25 to spare! :) I am looking forward to it! I leave May 8th! Woo-hoo!

Random Day Off :)


Today was another election day for Korea, so we had the day off! Kara and I decided to take advantage of the morning time for prime viewing of the cherry blossoms which are in full bloom! I was told that all the flowers would fall off on Saturday, so if I wanted to see them, I would have to do it soon! We thought that most people would be voting in the morning, so we went early to beat the rush! It was a good thing, too! A couple of hours later, it was so busy that it was difficult to enjoy the blossoms.


The best viewing was near the Han river which runs through the center of Seoul.


This is what it looked like after 12... Too busy to walk! Kara and I meandered around for a couple of hours before making our way back home.

I really like that the Koreans have their election days off--I wonder if more people vote here since they have the day off. I am not sure...maybe we should try it in the States! It might work--I barely made it to last year's elections (actually, the ones in 2006) and had to wait in long lines for a long time before getting to vote. When I become president, that is one thing I will change...days off for voting (are you gonna vote for me?)! :)

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Night Out


A couple of my friends had a birthday party last night. We were asked to dress up and wear sunglasses. We went to a really nice buffet dinner with sushi and lots of other stuff (I can't really remember what else there was...I just focused on the sushi). After that, we went out on the town and met with lots of other friends. It was fun to go out, but I really hate messing up my sleep schedule! Since I became a teacher, I have had a really strict bedtime. :)

I have been training for a 10K race in May. It has been fun to start running again--I used to run a lot more often, but in the past couple of years, I have opted for other forms of exercise. I am happy about my progress, though. My body is cooperating with me and I am having fun with my runs. I have finished 3 5K runs this week and go to bed feeling like I have earned my sleep! My body is sore, but I am happy and excited to run this race! I might challenge myself further and try for a half marathon before coming home. Maybe.

One more thing, today's temp was 72 degrees! It was so nice that I just wore a long-sleeved shirt out today! I love it!

Not Exactly


I received this note on my desk on Friday. I had some problems with one of my classes and asked a few boys to write me a letter in English as a punishment. This is one of the letters I got. It is not exactly what I hope for in my conversational English classes!

Friday, April 4, 2008

Singles Club


I didn't realize this, but my "Happy Thursdays" are actually club days! I have gone all year thinking we had a random hour off every other Thursday, but nobody told me there were club meetings going on (I just wasn't invited). There are a lot of new, young, single teachers that have started working at my school this term. They are really nice and have afternoons and evenings off like me! Monday, we decided to go to the Grand International Hotel and partake of their wine and food buffet for $25 . Kara joined us for the evening and she has a standing invitation into our school's singles club. By the way, the term "single" is used quite loosely. Two of the members are engaged, one is married, and a couple of us have boyfriends. The picture above shows some of the members, but the group is 14 or 15 strong!


Cheers to the singles club!


Our entertainment for the evening: a little "Lost in Translation" lounge singing. That grand piano was used as a stand for a hi-tech keyboard and computer system. There was a guy mixing sound behind it.

The evening was lots of fun, and we plan to meet frequently! Yeay for new friends!

CPK


Tonight a friend and I went to California Pizza Kitchen. For $25, we each had a fountain soda and split a medium sized BBQ pizza. OK, so the prices are quite a bit higher than in the States, but it was nice when I asked about the size of the pizza and got the reply in inches instead of centimeters! :) I still get confused with centimeters...


The bill came to us without one of the drinks charged. We said something to the waitress and she fixed it ($3.50 for a fountain soda). As a gift, we received faccocia bread on our way out! :)

Blossoms