Thursday, March 22, 2012
Happy Birthday, To Me!
Ha... Spending today, my birthday, in Fukuoka, Japan! How do I continue to get so lucky?! Actually, just here on my visa run but two days are better than none! Lucky for me, a friend from Jinju is coincidentally visiting Fukuoka at the same time with HER friend who's visiting from Spain. SO, the night shall bring some proper festivities...
Monday, March 19, 2012
The Correlation Between Leisure Time and Happiness...
It must be directly related.
Going on two weeks--no, my third week!--here in Korea without any work. Don't worry, that's coming soon and frankly, I'm looking forward to having something to do. BUT, with that said, it's been SO nice having so much free time in my day-to-day life.
Tonight, while dining in the on-campus cafeteria (where I eat for free!), a student approached me and, after some small talk, asked me if I'd be willing to edit her personal statement and academic plan essays that she wrote as part of her application for graduate school at one of Korea's top universities in Seoul. This wasn't so random as it sounds, as she was in one of the classes that I subbed for last fall...
She's Chinese but has been studying Korean since university in China and I was quite impressed by her essay. It really made me think back to being one of those young, ambitious university students with big dreams. Not that I've lost my big dreams, but they just seem to change as the years go by.
But anyway... It was really sweet how she asked me and showed her appreciation for my help and it made me SUPER excited for this semester! I'M READY TO WORK!!!!!! I think I'm realllllly going to like teaching university students... The guy who's been subbing for me the past two weeks, a friend of mine, has told me that my class is lovely so I absolutely cannot wait to meet them!
Going on two weeks--no, my third week!--here in Korea without any work. Don't worry, that's coming soon and frankly, I'm looking forward to having something to do. BUT, with that said, it's been SO nice having so much free time in my day-to-day life.
Tonight, while dining in the on-campus cafeteria (where I eat for free!), a student approached me and, after some small talk, asked me if I'd be willing to edit her personal statement and academic plan essays that she wrote as part of her application for graduate school at one of Korea's top universities in Seoul. This wasn't so random as it sounds, as she was in one of the classes that I subbed for last fall...
She's Chinese but has been studying Korean since university in China and I was quite impressed by her essay. It really made me think back to being one of those young, ambitious university students with big dreams. Not that I've lost my big dreams, but they just seem to change as the years go by.
But anyway... It was really sweet how she asked me and showed her appreciation for my help and it made me SUPER excited for this semester! I'M READY TO WORK!!!!!! I think I'm realllllly going to like teaching university students... The guy who's been subbing for me the past two weeks, a friend of mine, has told me that my class is lovely so I absolutely cannot wait to meet them!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Party in the Taxi
A beautiful sunny, (almost) spring day... I bused over to a friend's apartment to grab the last of my belongings that I'd stored at her place while I was in India. Hailed a cab back to my campus apartment and almost immediately the taxi driver was asking me my age and if I had a boyfriend. I should have said "yes."
The entire ride back he's trying to convince me to go get soju with him ("oppa," he referred to himself, which can be used as a term of endearment for an older guy/boyfriend). He turns up the dance music playing in his car and starts dancing in the car at every red light and turning back to look at me and try to convince me again to go get soju with him. First it was just an invite for soju sometime in the future, then it became tomorrow, and THEN, when I declined both of those, it became a "Let's go get one bottle of soju NOW"
Hahaha!! I love Korea!
The entire ride back he's trying to convince me to go get soju with him ("oppa," he referred to himself, which can be used as a term of endearment for an older guy/boyfriend). He turns up the dance music playing in his car and starts dancing in the car at every red light and turning back to look at me and try to convince me again to go get soju with him. First it was just an invite for soju sometime in the future, then it became tomorrow, and THEN, when I declined both of those, it became a "Let's go get one bottle of soju NOW"
Hahaha!! I love Korea!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
You Say Tomato, I say Tomato
Memory: December, 2011
I was over in Busan (Korea's second largest city) helping a friend through his LASEK eye surgery. It was Christmas day and we were back at the clinic for a short day-after check-up. The day before, during his surgery, I had hung out in the waiting room and observed families, friends and significant others doing the same. There were a few families with small children running around, one in particular that stood out. This family was a mother and her two small boys, no older than five, who were absolute nut-cases. This woman seemed to me like the type of mother who lets her children do ANYTHING, regardless of how it might affect people around them.
So, needless to say, the boys ran around the waiting room making loads of noise and playing with the other children (at one point, two little boys got in a little fight about sharing a computer and the older brother of one threatened to punch the little one in the face---ahhh, brotherly love). One of the sons was clearly a little trouble child, as he went around the room touching people's things, grabbing their paper cups full of coffee, cell phones and the like. At one point, I turned around to find him about six inches away from me staring at me intently--deep into my eyes, I might say. Koreans are often interested in eyes that are any color but dark brown...
After a brief staring contest between me and the little boy, he practiced his English like a good boy and said "Hello!" It was evident that this family was of higher income and, in Korea, that means the kids usually speak decent English. So, I asked the boy a few questions like "What's your name?" and "How old are you?" He did a great job answering. He ran away and came back to stare into my eyes again a handful of times, and I just rolled with it.
On Christmas day at the check-up, I was waiting in a chair, when the family with the two little boys walked in. I had told my friend about this boy and pointed them out as they walked by. The little boy almost walked by without recognizing me, but just as he passed in occurred to him who I was. He got SO excited that the waygook ("foreigner") was back! He pointed directly at me and excitedly told his parents that the waygook was there. People around laughed at it, including myself. It was actually kind of cute.
So, the boys proceeded to be boys and run around, my waygook self occasionally grabbing his attention... When, suddenly the boy appeared in front of me and said in loud, clear English "Hey! Teacher! Stand up!" Most people around me knew enough English to know what that meant, and laughed. It was quite hilarious, actually!
So, I couldn't resist and did what the little boy asked of me. I followed him over to a closed cafe and he proceeded to point to all of the items in the display case and tell me what they were in English. "Apple. Orange. Kiwi. Cake. Chocolate cake." And then, my favorite thing, was when he pointed to the tomato and said it perfectly with an American accent before mumbling to himself in Korean (which I could understand) "In Korea we say tomato (think British English accent) and in America you say tomato." ADORABLE.
He may have been an energetic, spoiled little brat, but boy was he a cutie...
I was over in Busan (Korea's second largest city) helping a friend through his LASEK eye surgery. It was Christmas day and we were back at the clinic for a short day-after check-up. The day before, during his surgery, I had hung out in the waiting room and observed families, friends and significant others doing the same. There were a few families with small children running around, one in particular that stood out. This family was a mother and her two small boys, no older than five, who were absolute nut-cases. This woman seemed to me like the type of mother who lets her children do ANYTHING, regardless of how it might affect people around them.
So, needless to say, the boys ran around the waiting room making loads of noise and playing with the other children (at one point, two little boys got in a little fight about sharing a computer and the older brother of one threatened to punch the little one in the face---ahhh, brotherly love). One of the sons was clearly a little trouble child, as he went around the room touching people's things, grabbing their paper cups full of coffee, cell phones and the like. At one point, I turned around to find him about six inches away from me staring at me intently--deep into my eyes, I might say. Koreans are often interested in eyes that are any color but dark brown...
After a brief staring contest between me and the little boy, he practiced his English like a good boy and said "Hello!" It was evident that this family was of higher income and, in Korea, that means the kids usually speak decent English. So, I asked the boy a few questions like "What's your name?" and "How old are you?" He did a great job answering. He ran away and came back to stare into my eyes again a handful of times, and I just rolled with it.
On Christmas day at the check-up, I was waiting in a chair, when the family with the two little boys walked in. I had told my friend about this boy and pointed them out as they walked by. The little boy almost walked by without recognizing me, but just as he passed in occurred to him who I was. He got SO excited that the waygook ("foreigner") was back! He pointed directly at me and excitedly told his parents that the waygook was there. People around laughed at it, including myself. It was actually kind of cute.
So, the boys proceeded to be boys and run around, my waygook self occasionally grabbing his attention... When, suddenly the boy appeared in front of me and said in loud, clear English "Hey! Teacher! Stand up!" Most people around me knew enough English to know what that meant, and laughed. It was quite hilarious, actually!
So, I couldn't resist and did what the little boy asked of me. I followed him over to a closed cafe and he proceeded to point to all of the items in the display case and tell me what they were in English. "Apple. Orange. Kiwi. Cake. Chocolate cake." And then, my favorite thing, was when he pointed to the tomato and said it perfectly with an American accent before mumbling to himself in Korean (which I could understand) "In Korea we say tomato (think British English accent) and in America you say tomato." ADORABLE.
He may have been an energetic, spoiled little brat, but boy was he a cutie...
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Bureaucracy... Psshaa!
Well, I've got my new job here, buuuuut... I can't teach just yet. I'm technically "illegal" to teach just yet, as I am here in Korea on a tourist visa. Everything started last night, beginning with an opening ceremony that I wasn't allowed to attend. Tonight's placement testing for the leveled classes. And, tomorrow, the real fun begins! What have I been doing with myself, then, you ask?
Good question.
Settling in. Catching up. Eating. Celebrating birthdays. Saying goodbyes. Eating. Organizing my life. Eating. Helping my roommate plan Jinju's production of "The Vagina Monologues." Eating. You know, the usual things like that. Nothing terribly productive, but it's made for a very smooth and comfortable transition into this new life. Although, I think I've got to change my routine starting... Tomorrow. (There's ALWAYS tomorrow, right?) I've now been in my new place for a week and a few days, so I've had my fun and now it's time to make something of all this free time.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to legally teach until I go to Japan to do a "visa run"; or, leave Korea to cancel my tourist visa and hit up the Korean consulate in Fukuoka, Japan to get my brand spankin' new E-2 teaching visa. Only THEN will I be allowed to teach. And, given everything, I'm looking at the rest of this week and all of next week before that happens. I hope to be in Japan for my visa by the end of next week. Sheesh.
With that said, I think it's time I use my free time now (while all my co-workers are currently doing placement testing for the next few hours) and catch up on some stories from India! Check out the India blog soon!
Peace!
Good question.
Settling in. Catching up. Eating. Celebrating birthdays. Saying goodbyes. Eating. Organizing my life. Eating. Helping my roommate plan Jinju's production of "The Vagina Monologues." Eating. You know, the usual things like that. Nothing terribly productive, but it's made for a very smooth and comfortable transition into this new life. Although, I think I've got to change my routine starting... Tomorrow. (There's ALWAYS tomorrow, right?) I've now been in my new place for a week and a few days, so I've had my fun and now it's time to make something of all this free time.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to legally teach until I go to Japan to do a "visa run"; or, leave Korea to cancel my tourist visa and hit up the Korean consulate in Fukuoka, Japan to get my brand spankin' new E-2 teaching visa. Only THEN will I be allowed to teach. And, given everything, I'm looking at the rest of this week and all of next week before that happens. I hope to be in Japan for my visa by the end of next week. Sheesh.
With that said, I think it's time I use my free time now (while all my co-workers are currently doing placement testing for the next few hours) and catch up on some stories from India! Check out the India blog soon!
Peace!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Life. Is. Goooood.
Back in Korea!
I wasn't sure how I'd feel about coming back after being away in paradise for two months (i.e., wandering around jobless and free under the sunshine!), but I actually feel great being back here!
Leaving India was sad; I literally teared up with emotion on the bus to the airport in Bangalore last Friday. All I wanted was a Keralan parotha and cashew-filled curry and a chai while I spent 14 hours in the Kuala Lumpur airport (despite the diarrhea that day that India left me with as a going away present). When I closed my eyes in the sauna my first night back in Korea (in the airport's 24-hour jimjilbang), all I could picture and feel were the warm Arabian Sea's waves surrounding me and bobbing me up and down instead of the hot bubbling water of the sauna. India was definitely on the mind...
BUT, Korea continues to treat me well. I spent Sunday, my first day back, up in Seoul doing a little shopping for work clothes (for the new job!) and soaking it in that I was back "home" for another year. It was comforting hearing Korean spoken all around me and seeing Korean faces pass by. Right after I got into the airport and got through immigration, the first thing I did before going to the sauna was get a samgak kimbap (triangle of tuna-filled rice wrapped in seaweed). I indulged in a hoddeok (cinnamon and sugar filled pancake of sorts) from the streets of Seoul the next day. I found myself enjoying the luxury and convenience of a 'developed' nation--no more dirt and rubbish all over the streets (at least far less), far less chaos, no people coming up to for my money, no more dodgy street food... But, all that aside, I would return to India in a heart beat if it were feasible...
I moved into my new place Monday morning. Working at the university, I live in the English dorms on campus. The foreign teachers have their own floor (male/female segregated) so there are four rooms on my floor occupied by two female foreign teachers each. So yes, this means I have a roommate! It's a lovely space, however. We share a little kitchen, common area with dining table, couch, chair and television, have a spare bedroom for storage and our own rooms that are much larger than my last living space. The bedrooms all have a huge--and I mean MASSIVE--king-sized bed that takes up likely a quarter of the space in the room. This is a far cry from my bed the past two years in Korea--a child-sized twin bed. I could sleep four on this bed comfortably! I've also got an assortment of furniture (between my room and the spare) to play around with, so I'm pretty set up and enjoying my new living space immensely.
Work begins on Monday. I'll most likely be teaching Level One, which will be the basics. Though, I'm not sure just how basic it will be, or what these students' levels will actually be like. I'll teach from 6:30-9:30pm five nights a week. That means three classes per night, the first and last being textbook with my--MY!-class, and the second period rotation between writing and "situational English" with other classes. I get to have my own room and my own class, who I'll spend ten hours a week with and presumably get to know quite well... SO excited.
Being in the dorms, having a roommate and five other females who live across the hall from me, my social situation will likely change a little (not to mention my sleep schedule with the new hours). I wasn't sure how I'd fare having a roommate again and giving up having exclusively my own space, but I'm quite enjoying it and we get along very well (I've known her since I moved to Jinju two years ago anyway). But the GNU crowd (GNU=Gyeongsang National University) is a pretty tight-knit crowd of some very lovely people who will often grab dinner or a drink after work during the week, so I'm looking forward to the change (though, staying up late is something I'll have to get myself used to after two years of a 10pm bedtime).
OH! And, I absolutely have to mention two of the most exciting things about my new life here at the university: there are TWO dryers in the laundry room of the building (I've not used a dryer once in the past two years) AND I can eat all three meals for FREE in the cafeteria that is next door to my dorm. FREE FOOD. I imagine it'll be easy to get sick of the food quickly, but at least there's the option of a free meal as often as I'd like!
What will I do with all of my new found free time, you ask? I'm not entirely sure just yet... It's possible to get extra work, so when something comes up that sounds fitting to me I'll jump on that. Otherwise, I'll continue to climb a few times a week in the indoor gym, carry on with the reading habits I re-established in India... And who knows what. Life. Is. Gooooood.
And, lastly, as is par for the course, I will continue to update my India/Wanderer blog over the next month or so. SO, if you feel inclined, please check back there when you think about it for more updates and photos on my AMAZING trip through India!
I wasn't sure how I'd feel about coming back after being away in paradise for two months (i.e., wandering around jobless and free under the sunshine!), but I actually feel great being back here!
Leaving India was sad; I literally teared up with emotion on the bus to the airport in Bangalore last Friday. All I wanted was a Keralan parotha and cashew-filled curry and a chai while I spent 14 hours in the Kuala Lumpur airport (despite the diarrhea that day that India left me with as a going away present). When I closed my eyes in the sauna my first night back in Korea (in the airport's 24-hour jimjilbang), all I could picture and feel were the warm Arabian Sea's waves surrounding me and bobbing me up and down instead of the hot bubbling water of the sauna. India was definitely on the mind...
BUT, Korea continues to treat me well. I spent Sunday, my first day back, up in Seoul doing a little shopping for work clothes (for the new job!) and soaking it in that I was back "home" for another year. It was comforting hearing Korean spoken all around me and seeing Korean faces pass by. Right after I got into the airport and got through immigration, the first thing I did before going to the sauna was get a samgak kimbap (triangle of tuna-filled rice wrapped in seaweed). I indulged in a hoddeok (cinnamon and sugar filled pancake of sorts) from the streets of Seoul the next day. I found myself enjoying the luxury and convenience of a 'developed' nation--no more dirt and rubbish all over the streets (at least far less), far less chaos, no people coming up to for my money, no more dodgy street food... But, all that aside, I would return to India in a heart beat if it were feasible...
I moved into my new place Monday morning. Working at the university, I live in the English dorms on campus. The foreign teachers have their own floor (male/female segregated) so there are four rooms on my floor occupied by two female foreign teachers each. So yes, this means I have a roommate! It's a lovely space, however. We share a little kitchen, common area with dining table, couch, chair and television, have a spare bedroom for storage and our own rooms that are much larger than my last living space. The bedrooms all have a huge--and I mean MASSIVE--king-sized bed that takes up likely a quarter of the space in the room. This is a far cry from my bed the past two years in Korea--a child-sized twin bed. I could sleep four on this bed comfortably! I've also got an assortment of furniture (between my room and the spare) to play around with, so I'm pretty set up and enjoying my new living space immensely.
Work begins on Monday. I'll most likely be teaching Level One, which will be the basics. Though, I'm not sure just how basic it will be, or what these students' levels will actually be like. I'll teach from 6:30-9:30pm five nights a week. That means three classes per night, the first and last being textbook with my--MY!-class, and the second period rotation between writing and "situational English" with other classes. I get to have my own room and my own class, who I'll spend ten hours a week with and presumably get to know quite well... SO excited.
Being in the dorms, having a roommate and five other females who live across the hall from me, my social situation will likely change a little (not to mention my sleep schedule with the new hours). I wasn't sure how I'd fare having a roommate again and giving up having exclusively my own space, but I'm quite enjoying it and we get along very well (I've known her since I moved to Jinju two years ago anyway). But the GNU crowd (GNU=Gyeongsang National University) is a pretty tight-knit crowd of some very lovely people who will often grab dinner or a drink after work during the week, so I'm looking forward to the change (though, staying up late is something I'll have to get myself used to after two years of a 10pm bedtime).
OH! And, I absolutely have to mention two of the most exciting things about my new life here at the university: there are TWO dryers in the laundry room of the building (I've not used a dryer once in the past two years) AND I can eat all three meals for FREE in the cafeteria that is next door to my dorm. FREE FOOD. I imagine it'll be easy to get sick of the food quickly, but at least there's the option of a free meal as often as I'd like!
What will I do with all of my new found free time, you ask? I'm not entirely sure just yet... It's possible to get extra work, so when something comes up that sounds fitting to me I'll jump on that. Otherwise, I'll continue to climb a few times a week in the indoor gym, carry on with the reading habits I re-established in India... And who knows what. Life. Is. Gooooood.
And, lastly, as is par for the course, I will continue to update my India/Wanderer blog over the next month or so. SO, if you feel inclined, please check back there when you think about it for more updates and photos on my AMAZING trip through India!
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