Expat Life

It's been awhile since I felt the desire to write on a blog. I felt like there was no possible way to write about every experience and emotion I was having. 98% of them were good but it became overwhelming to think about writing about them all and I just wanted to relish in the moments that I was having. So many times I even thought, "there is no way that I will ever truly be able to articulate this moment and emotions into mere words."

Well, nearly 8 months have passed and a topic has found a way to inspire me. My contract for working here is nearing an end and the million dollar question is, do I go back home or do I sign on for another year? This is actually a much harder decision than the one to move away to a foreign land. I think very few people will ever understand this idea so I will try my best to convey it.

"When are you moving back?"

"We miss you."

"You've had an adventure and I see you miss things so you should come back now."

These are some of the most difficult things to hear as an expat. So many emotions can flow as a result. You start to question if you've really completed everything you really set out to do while abroad, you think about how relationships and friendships back home have changed since you left, and most importantly you think about how your financial situation and general independence will be affected when you do return.

As an expat, you will always miss something or someone from a life you were accustomed to. That is how life works - we relish in the good and comforting memories. Yes, we get homesick for mom's home-cooked meals, the holidays that are specific to our region, even the small things like having a clothes dryer or our trash disposal routine. But missing something doesn't mean you necessarily want to go back to it or should go back - at least not hastily. 

When I talked about moving abroad I remember how everyone was rooting for me to go and do great things. What have I done? I've managed to stay financially afloat, eat, work, and other mundane tasks just like I did back home. Yes, there are certain challenges that vary due to language differences, rules, or cultural differences - but at the end of the day, all I've managed to do is to tread water (in another country) which is basically what I have been doing since I moved out of my parents' house decades ago.

I think what people back home forget to process, is that there is an adjusting period that occurs when you move away, even if it is just to another state. You are learning the ins and outs of the new neighborhood/region. You are learning to rely on mostly yourself (something I'm all too familiar with already). You're focusing on moving forward because dwelling on what you left or what is in the past will only make the adventure a difficult and heartbreaking one. You can't make a lot of advancement until you've tackled that first.

I lost my biological mother to suicide nearly 17 years ago and when I mention it, people automatically feel sad for me. I can understand and appreciate the sentiment. It was one of the biggest challenges I had to deal with in my life. But I spent years learning not to be sad about missing her but instead, appreciating everything about her. That doesn't just mean the fun times, but really searching my emotions and learning to embrace even the hard things about her like her addictions and her mental disorders. I think without such in-depth and continued self-evaluation, I would never be able to handle this excursion or many others that I've endured.

The past few months it has bothered me that I don't really miss the majority of people. Before anyone gets offended or butt-hurt, it's not that I don't think of so many people more often than I express. I think, however, from moving around so many times in my life since I was young (military life), I learned to find a way to adjust. In this process, you realize everything will change whether you control it or not. Despite the things that we enjoyed about the past, there are also things we remember wishing that could be different. I learned that if I stay stuck in the "wishing things never changed" phase I would never be the person I am today and I would never be able to handle any changes that came my way. Change, although it can be terrifying, is necessary to grow and live a worthy life. 

So if I don't miss people I must be heartless and full of emptiness if I return the sentiment... at least this is what I've been telling myself until recently. But no, I am bursting with emotions for the people I know. Too much even at times. To me, missing someone usually means you never hear from that person anymore for whatever reason and that there will likely never be an ability to continue a relationship (either due to broken ties or death). So if I miss you, I know our relationship is over and will likely never see a new story. Otherwise, while I may not physically see others, I assume our story still continues even if there are miles or even years in between. If I miss the hanging out or talking, all I have to do is go visit or make a phone call. There is no valid excuse.

However, one thing that occurs when you move - whether it's to a new city or another country - is that it's inevitable that you may reevaluate the relationships you thought you had with people. People you thought were closest to you suddenly become distant or too busy for idle conversation. Yet people you may have hardly known will surprise you and become a friend you never realized you already had. You learn the difference between who merely thinks about you and who really makes an effort to show you. And yes, I too am guilty of this.

Holidays can be hardest when abroad. Families gather, traditional meals are consumed, good and bad memories - and you are missing out on it all. It's hard not to let these seemingly trivial things bring you down, but even for people who are usually strong it can be nearly crippling. Thanksgiving nearly busted me emotionally. Everyone wishing me a happy holiday that is not only NOT celebrated here, the food is nearly impossible to obtain. Everything you ever knew about a tradition you never truly realized you relied on is simply not important when you're living abroad. Something in this "limited access" is what tore me down. The idea that every other holiday I've ever known has been left or lost in translation of another culture. "You're here now, celebrate our holidays." Yea, I still managed to find groups to try to celebrate with but the difficulty levels in doing so can barely be worth the reward. It can lose the spirit if you're not careful.

Overall, hearing the continuous I miss you and when are you coming back comments are quite a nuisance. I still pay bills back home and worry about what my children are dealing with and other family and friends. But most of these same people barely make an effort to check in with me - this is not intended to make anyone feel guilty but simply to address that it is more an emotional drain and hurts my emotional state. These phrases make me feel guilty like I did something hurtful or selfish in moving. These same people who said "it's time for you to live your life" are the same ones wanting me to go back to the routine we once had. At times it feels like I'm being suffocated by an invisible source and the only way for it to stop is to let it take my last breath of air from me. I'm not sure if this is how all expats feel but I received similar comments after I moved from Colorado (still do after 11 years). 

Please, for the love of sanity, stop asking people to move back to what they left - whatever the reason. Let them choose when they want to or can. Support them on their journey and if you miss them, make efforts to see them or contact but not guilt them into coming back so you can occasionally see them. Think for a moment how selfish that sounds. I think about how many people wanted me to visit them when I came to Colorado for 3 days at a time versus all of the people who made time to actually visit me. Yes, our lives get busy but if you miss someone it's because you aren't making enough effort to keep the connection that you had. This last paragraph feels a tad salty and bitter and I apologize, but it is a minor rant 11 years in the making. 

Anyway, to address the elephant in the room...when am I coming home? The answer truly is that I'd like to stay at least another year and then see where I go from there. It's not official but it's the best decision for my financial situation and my desire to accomplish something I set out to do. I will know this month. Yes, I love all of you and would like to just chill and have good times but life is filled with difficult times also and I know that whether I am here or there, those are unavoidable. The difference here is that I'm nearly forced to think about what's best for me first and not what others want of me. Something I fail to do so often. So before asking the million dollar question or telling someone you miss them, take a moment to think of how those words are helping them or if they're making things harder. If you're unsure, maybe it's time to reach out for a chit chat. After all, keeping in contact is as easy as a 30 second text message these days. All hail the internet. 

Sincerely,

The inner workings of an expat life...

Jindo Sea parting Festival

March 25, 2019

Friday felt like such a long day. I really should've slept more. However, the kids were enjoying the new games, English Pong and Rock/Paper/Scissors Race, so I was happy. Overall the day went pretty well, even received some candies from the kids which I keep forgetting I have.

After work, I came straight home so that I could eat and pack since the tour bus was picking up a group of us at a nearby subway station. I was more concerned about making my way to the station since I seem to have a hit or miss ratio about using public transportation still. I left about and hour and a half before the pick up time in case I ran into any hiccups. If I did, I was just going to take a cab.

Made the stop about 40 minutes early dragging my heels. I was looking forward to sleeping on the bus since it was about a 4.5 hour drive to the southeast coast. I was sitting next to someone that made it really difficult to get comfortable but it wasn't intentional and he seemed like a pretty good guy. But trying to sleep on my hand or hug the right arm of the seat took a toll on my body.

We arrived in Jindo at 4:45am where we would get out water boots and torches so that we could walk out onto the land that became exposed as the tide moved out to sea. This apparently only happens once a year over the course of a few days. On a good low tide, there is enough land exposed that will allow you to walk to a neighboring island. Downfall is that it was still so cold and the tide just never really went down as low as the staff was hoping. We did walk out a short distance into the sea sporting our tiki torches in hand, water never really passing mid-high shin. It's the first sunrise I've seen in Korea and although we didn't get that far out, I got a few pretty good pictures. I felt like an angry villager with my torch and crowd following mentality that was on its way to do away with the neighborhood vampire/monster - at least that's how it appeared at first glance. LOL.

I met a few new people on this tour so definitely met the expectations that I had set out with. After we came back in from walking to the sea me and the people I met decided to grab something to eat and a coffee (mostly to warm up). The booths that were open were supposed to represent different countries around the world and while I appreciate the thought, they were very much unlike the foods from these places. Something that I know I just have to adapt to here. The other booths didn't open until 10am so we decided to go back to the bus to sleep since we couldn't check into our rooms until after 2pm.

Again, napping on the bus was a bit of a challenge as people kept getting on and off, with the door opening and closing allowing the cold air to come in. Plus some people decided it was ok to talk loudly while the majority of people tried to sleep. Finally, around 10am we decided to just give up trying to sleep and go check out all the booths. There were many booths with seaweeds and different types of seafoods, some alcoholic choices, some crafts/knick knacks, a lot of information booths (in Korean), and food. I had a caricature done which was funny considering the last time I had one done was when I visited last time.

Then it was time to watch the variety show that they had arranged. There was a group of Russian dancers performing different types of dances, acrobats, a magician, and some hip hop dancers. At the end of the show they asked for foreign volunteers to come on stage for a makkoeli drinking contest. All of the local town people just sat back watching "the foreigners" perform tasks for their entertainment. At times it was entertaining to watch but sometimes it makes me feel that foreigners will get a bad rap because of the drunken/party-like lifestyle that they see, so other times I was embarrassed to not be one of the locals. This was followed up by a talent show put on by the foreigners - most of which were pretty drunk at this time. I wish I had practiced a hula to perform for this since the locals were so easily wowed at everything the foreigners did.

Finally, it was time to check in. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and then grabbed our belongings. We were staying in a hostel - Korean style which means the room had nothing but quilted mats, blankets, and some bean pillows. Luckily, I got my own room so I used all of the extra mats and comforters and stacked them together. The floor was still a pretty harsh place to sleep for my aging body. But the solitude and not being stuck with some drunken roommate was still worth it.

The next events that were scheduled was the Korean wrestling. They had professionals wrestle first and then invited the foreigners to spar against each other. In was held on a large round patch of sand and they had a cloth wrapped around their waste and leg in which they had to grip. This helped to aid the wrestlers to pin the other. I had been looking forward to the color fest party where we would get to throw colored powders on each other. It was a little non-climactic though because there were too many people who were drunken and decided to start early. Then others joined. No one really waited for the actual "go ahead" signal. And then these people were just throwing their empty bags onto the sand. If it were my city, I probably would've been quite annoyed with the "foreigners".

They did entertain us with a few songs performed by a female kpop group (don't ask me the name though). There were so many times this weekend that I felt like a caged

wrestling
color fest
jesus parade/flash mob
dancing
2nd sea walk
food
sleep
breakfast,
to see the Jindo puppies
race/bet
dog tricks/show
lady for volunteering
sleep
cell phone out of data
navigate systems without a phone
made it home
very tired

.....I never posted this and I'm going to leave it unfinished as so much has changed in the last 9 months....

Constructive Feedback

March 21

So, Wednesday my boss surprised me and came in to observe one of my classes - NOT the class she said she would. Ugh! I was trying out a new game in this class today though so I was feeling ok. This class speaks pretty good English and I was feeling semi confident about it. This class was also giving memorized speeches today and even they were really weirded out that the boss was there.

So time came to play the game.  It's rock paper scissors race. There are vocab words on the wall and two teams will start at each side saying them until they meet at the same word and then they do rock paper scissors. The winner keeps advancing towards the other side like chess. The goal is to reach the other side for a point.

The kids played the game, even enjoyed it, although one kept hitting the wall as he said the words. I was thinking to myself, "she should think this is good". She gave me feedback after the class saying that the game was good but not advanced enough for these students' level - which I understand,  but neither is playing Uno which we do. Again, I was feeling a little defeated. I wished she had come into one of the other classes that day.

Then, she came into the class with the two students also!!! Good news is that this class only has one book and their level is way lower. So I taught them a game I call English pong which is pretty similar to beer pong lol - just no drinking. This class I received good feedback on. She said the energy was up, the kids were exited and engaged, and the right level for their understanding. So I was finally feeling better. Good news is my student hasn't dropped my class yet and will come back again.

But I definitely needed a drink with K after this week. I kept repeating inspirational quotes to myself about how everything is a learning lesson and not to give up or get too discouraged. Maybe it worked. I'll be going to Jindo on a tour group tomorrow (Friday night after work). Hopefully, it's a blast and I meet lots of new people.

One of those days...

March 19

So apparently I need to stop staying out so late. K and I were out late again playing darts. The downfall to that is that I don't get a good night's sleep and it makes it hard to want to wake up the next morning. But our day starts so late and ends late that is nice to have some play/fun time also during the week.

Then at school I must've made 4 different kids cry. Two because they didn't win a game, one because her mom forgot to give her the correct book, and another because goodness even knows the reason. I've never made so many kids cry in my life in such a short time. And the kids that aren't crying are simply getting out of control.  Some try jumping on the furniture, running wildly during games, even hitting/kicking the walls. When I try to correct them they act like they either don't understand or that can't hear me. These are the days when I start thinking about an adult beverage after work. I'm used to being able to manage kids pretty well so this is a little aggravating to me and some days I feel like a failure.

It didn't help that after my classes today I was pulled aside to be asked about one of my students. I guess he was saying my class wasn't fun and he wanted to quit my class. This is kind of a big deal as that's money to the school. The sad thing is that it's one of the kids I really like too. Unfortunately, there is one kid in this class that gives me the hardest time of all my students. She always pretends like she doesn't understand and never pays attention. Sometimes, class time is wasted by her so if things aren't fun I tend to point fingers. This girl also gave the previous teacher the same challenges. Not sure why she keeps coming if she really hates being there so badly.

Anyway, since I received feedback to make classes more fun, I decided I would go home and research new games to teach my students but first, food. K and I grabbed dinner together at Mom's Touch but I still couldn't help but think how frustrated I was. I don't like making easy mistakes. My boss was going to come in and observe my class with the 2 students so I needed to fix my style. As much as I wanted to cry and question what the heck I'm doing, I knew better - that I couldn't let it get to me and that I had to find a new way of thinking.

I was online from about 10pm-2am looking up ESL and kids' teaching games. I came up with a few that I will try out tomorrow. So I will be getting up early to go to my money pit,  Daiso, so I can prep some new games. Wish me luck.

The Things Kids Say....

March 17, 2019

Happy St. Patrick's Day LOL...

Friday I feel like I lost a little bit of control over the kids all day...plus it was raining and we had a moment where it sounded as if something exploded but was only lightning. The only thing that I feel was worthy of discussing about school was something that one of my students wrote. The books are written obviously by a non-native English speaker based on the grammar issues and story lines. One story is about a kid with bad habits who burps and farts everywhere. So, naturally, this book chooses vocabulary words like burp and fart... around middle school aged children... genius plan.

So this particular class is supposed to write their own sentences with their vocab words for homework. One girl had a very colorful sentence and I had to do my best not to react or attract the attention of the other kids. It read, "The burp smells like shit." Not sure where she heard this or if she found her English sentences on the internet but I had to correct her without it being embarrassing or being a joke. So I walked around next to her, crossed out the bad words and told her we don't use words like this because they aren't nice, and then proceeded to rewrite the sentence to "The burp smells bad." I'm not even prepared for the stuff I'm going to see over this year.

I was in dire need of time out though. I went to a shabu shabu place with 2 coworkers (like a hot soup place that you add the ingredients to in a boiling broth). It was going to help my sickness. You know I've come a long way when they wanted the mushroom add-ins and I said that's fine I just won't eat those. They literally brought over a bouquet of various mushrooms, many of which I'd never seen before. One looked like a little furry animal while others appeared to be like sea anemones. Not gonna lie, it was a big test for me.

We dropped the beef, some noodles and veggies, and then the fungus into the pot. We had regular and spicy broth of which I enjoyed the spicy best. Basically you can eat it as a soup or you can make a little "eggroll" out of the rice paper wraps they provided. I had beef, veggies, and pineapple and was perfectly content. The mushrooms didn't even phase me and a few times I considered - very briefly - tasting one or two but never got that far. Haha if some of my exes could see me now they'd think that my past behavior towards mushrooms was all a rouse. I've gone as far as driving them to the store to get toothpaste and a brush plus gum or mints after they ate them because I refused to kiss them after they ate mushrooms.

Afterwards, my neighbor/coworker and I wanted ice cream (again) but this time Baskin Robbins. I had a waffle cone with a scoop of mint chocolate chip and one scoop of popping popping banana strawberry chocolate (which is now my new favorite flavor) while the rain stopped. It had pop rocks in it and tasted like an amazing banana split sundae without all of the work. We had decided earlier to go to the bar later since it was everyone else's payday and I had survived another week. Came home to rest a few and make myself a tad more presentable.

It was a good time just sitting and talking with my coworker (we'll call her K since I believe I'll spend more time with her than anyone else). Two other teachers from another school showed up so we decided to team up for a round of darts. I finally ended up hitting bulls eye 3 times that night and even ended up winning both a team game and a solo game. Super exciting. There is a Korean gentleman that we are all acquainted with (speaks little English) but we invited him to play after one of the teachers left. K said she's never seen him so friendly and involved. He's been really shy the few times that I have seen him. But he is an artist also like our Canadian friend, V-dog (LOL - I don't feel it's polite to use their real names so I am creating nicknames for them for their anonymity).

The bar was closing at 3am so K, the Korean guy, and I decided to waste an hour with some beers at the norebang (karaoke room). It was a good and interesting experience. I am glad that I can have fun in the most unusual of settings and it seems that K is a lot like that also. She does her own thing and enjoys herself without being the girl that is the overly flirtatious or drunk girl and I really enjoy that about her. She is very comfortable and unfiltered and it's refreshing.

Saturday I decided I was going to meet up with one of the Koreans I had been speaking to for over a year on a language exchange program. He came to my city this time and we awkwardly stumbled over some language barriers for about 6 hours over coffee and then some more over beer and chicken for lunch. He wants to improve his listening and speaking skills so he can move to the states to work on his business there. I guess many Koreans have concerns about their economic situations and capabilities here for various reasons and our country always seems promising for foreigners. Of course, every single one of them will mention that they are afraid of the danger of guns there. So, if you wonder what other countries think, it's usually that we're a golden land of opportunities with gun slinging gangs everywhere - is that really so far from the truth though??

Got in and did laundry and decided to sleep early since I have been sick. This weekend I've been feeling a little more in an unfamiliar place than I have to date - both in terms of my living conditions and emotionally. No need to delve into that really because it is minor and luckily sleeping will resolve it. I did read one page on my golden book that I had friends write me letters in. Finished up a small round of grocery getting - and excited to try some of my overpriced Australian ground beef in some homemade tacos tomorrow. I brought taco seasoning with me but please feel free to supply me with more... the majority of the weekend has been chill and just talking on the phone to friends and family. One of my closest friends has booked her flight to come visit me in May so I am excited about that.

I guess as things become more "commonplace" around me it feels like there's less surprising things to discuss, but the good news is that I'm surviving and not going crazy as of yet. I do miss out on news around the globe unless people I know are talking about it. There was a plane crash and a mosque shooting I barely got wind of through coworkers. This is both good and bad to not have a connection to world news but I will muster on. I hope to have some great stories next weekend since I am spending the whole weekend in another city at the Jindo Sea Parting Festival. There will be colored powders thrown, music, togas, food, etc. Wish me luck.

Jewels

White Day

March 14, 2019

Okay, working 5 days a week is a bum rap FYI. I do not miss it. Also, kids are the same all over the globe. They will be hyper, disrespectful, lead a person to madness, and their continent of origin makes no difference. Part of me wishes that I could pick and choose my own students to teach while the other part wants to run as far away from all of the ankle biting rascals - no matter how adorable some of them are.

Teacher's meeting tomorrow but it's finally Friday, for everyone else it's payday - not me. I have to wait another month. While your contract should clearly state on it when you receive a paycheck, it does not usually mention anything about not getting paid until you have worked for a month. I knew shadowing was not paid time. I thought that we receive prorated pay at least. So scratch any earlier  info I may have shared and be prepared to go to your foreign country with enough money to survive comfortably for at least 2-3 months. Luckily I have money in the bank but I am also making making payments on things while I am away that eat away at my savings.

I did go to the bar Wednesday after work with my coworker. It just felt like a long day and the kids seemed to have been loaded with sugar or something because even the class that I can barely get to speak was loud and out of control. At the bar I had a Corona ($10 later) and they brought it to me with a lemon in it... Limes are a little more expensive. But when I asked the waiter for salt he looked at me in confusion so a mutual acquaintance explained that sometimes Americans do that (he's Canadian - an expat artist). I do not get drunk off of beer which is why I drink it and this is a good thing but I only had one. This bar also has salted popcorn as a bar treat that is perfect to satisfy that American palette. Unfortunately, I still tend to forget things and realized after I strolled home at 1am that morning that I had forgotten my scarf there. I haven't played darts since I was young so needless to say I wasn't so good but I was getting improving my 1am LOL.

Thursday morning I had my appointment at immigration to get my Alien Residency Card so that I can get a bank account, a phone in my name, and my health insurance. I was trying not to be out late the night before but some things sometimes happen. The director was running behind schedule and I had to remind myself that some people are just chronically 'late' or on their own time but I was fearful that I'd miss my appointment time and have to wait forever and not have time to plan for my classes before work.

My appointment was at 10:20a and my director was driving through traffic in a casual Mario Andretti kind of way. The driving here is intense. People merge where there's no space to merge. I think it felt like at least 3-4 times we'd surely be in an accident, yet I thought about it and realized I have not seen one accident or car that was beaten up/body damaged since I've been here. The driving still did not have a good affect on my nerves. We arrived promptly at 10:28a and I was asked to jump out of the car and hurry to the place "where everyone else was" LOL. My number was 70 and there were on 68 so looks like the timing was okay.

It only took about 25 minutes to pay and have them do some paperwork of which I will receive my ARC in the mail in a few weeks. I had time to go home to eat lunch and then walk to school.Today was also White Day here - like Valentine's Day but only the guys get the ladies stuff whereas Valentine's Day is more for the women to get the men chocolate and stuff. One student brought me candy and while I should've said no because she didn't share with the other students, I couldn't pass up a Kit Kat.

Thursday was pretty uneventful but I was starving when work was finished so my co-worker and I decided to go for dinner. There was a place near the school on our way home that had grill and beef - beef that looked very yummy and since it's so expensive here, it seemed even more enticing. We thought it was 18,900 won for 2 people but turns out it was actually per person. A little salty about the cost but not at all disappointed with the good quality of non-Korean cow - and yes, there's quite a difference between the two. We definitely take our access to good beef for granted in the US.

We also had to stop by the bar to retrieve my scarf but we took the scenic route. my coworker brought up McDs ice cream and apple pies so we stopped there first and then afterwards at a cafe, The Coffee Bean, for some hot tea and a bagel. It's easy just to eat and eat a lot here if you're not careful. But the ice cream and tea sounded amazing as I have started to get a sore throat and this would ease the discomfort. I brought some antibiotics and cold medicines thankfully because I know if I didn't begin to doctor myself it would quickly turn into bronchitis and I don't have insurance yet (although it'd still cost me less than $50 to go to a dr).

Have very few plans for this weekend because the following weekend I will be on my first trip/excursion so I want to take it easy this weekend. We'll see how things go.

Jewels

Getting Organized

March 12, 2019

So, here it is... going on exactly 3 weeks since I have been here in ROK. As of yet, it still doesn't quite feel like I am really here. As I explained to a friend earlier today, "It's just another day". What does that even mean??? Well, sometimes we do things or tasks that need to be done but we really don't think about the actuality or depth of what is going on - just create or act out a routine, right??

The only way that I am finding things possible is probably causing me two to three times the amount of work that I would normally need to do. Let me reiterate - I have around 20 DIFFERENT classes that I may teach in the course of a week. Only one class I see three times. There are a couple that I may see two times and all the others, only once a week. Some classes have 2 different lesson books while others may only have one. So keeping organized as to who is doing what, homework that has been assigned, and any other notes or happenings for each class, I have a smaller notebook that I write things down in. Otherwise, there is one notebook that is kept in the office daily for each class which makes it nearly impossible to work on lesson planning at home unless I do it my way.

BUT, the good news is, is that this appears to be working for me. We are going on hump day of my second week and I can almost entirely plan my lessons at home the night before instead of trying to figure everything out an hour to two hours before the start of class. Unfortunately, I have been forgetting some other minor things like passing on homework that was assigned for the students that have been absent, forgetting to turn off the classroom heater, unplugging everything, and which classes I am allowed to speak a very limited amount of Korean in. So I feel that I have excess notes everywhere. Until I create a routine that becomes second nature, this is simply how I will function.

The great thing is that I usually am home by 9pm or even a little earlier so I can cook dinner and do anything else that I may need to do. Tonight I had a little of something left over that I had cooked last week. This saved time so that I could do my trash chore LOL. Let's go over the trash duties here in Korea unless you have skimmed my Facebook page...

There is a yellow bag that you must purchase for any and all food waste. There is no garbage disposal so everything goes in this bag. Common sense will probably tell you that you do not have a 2 liter bag full of food waste each night so sadly, you probably have to find a way to keep this bag somewhere until it is fuller. I seal mine up and keep it in the refrigerator until it is full enough to toss out. So far I have only had one bag to toss out.

Next, we separate plastics and vinyls. This basically consists  of wrappers for store bought items, chip/candy bags and everything EXCEPT plastic bottles. Because I have been decorating my house with new things, these fill up fast but luckily we can put these outside in whatever bag we have. Also, there is a separate bag for papers. This also has been filling up because of purchases. Receipts, paper inserts, boxes, etc go in here which also can be any bag type. Then I have ANOTHER bag for plastic and glass bottle and cans for recycling (for money) - also in any bag. Lastly, there is a white/blue bag that we purchase specifically for trash. Basically anything else goes in this to be burned. If you are confused by what "other" trash is, I am still asking the same thing and sometimes it's Styrofoam - honestly, whatever I feel doesn't fit in the other four bags. So yes, I have 5 trash bags in my tiny apartment.

Today, I came home and organized/separated my trashes LOL and washed dishes. Also, so that food and other items do not go down the drain, we have a cup that fits inside the hole. I have bought little nets to place inside of this cup that will catch any food particles so that I can just throw it away before it smells or becomes too gross. Very tedious. Luckily, a small place makes it a little more manageable. I also was able to find time to do some planning for my Thursday classes, one of which includes downloading songs that we will learn the lyrics to.

Being a lady in this part of the "complicated trash, lacking quality feminine products" part of the world is a tad challenging. I can purchase sub-par products and have trash to "hold on to" (bleh). Or I can use something else that requires less waste. I chose the latter. I will only say this much for the sake of not scaring off the guys and I will only discuss this one time ever - Ladies, if you come or visit ROK, I highly recommend a cup (look it up if you want more info). The hassles of dealing with it are better than the alternatives.

Last night, a coworker and I grabbed a bus and went to Cocky Pub (where the beer pong was) for burgers and fries. I have my first Dr. Pepper since I've been here. I was a happy girl. However, they brought me sweet and sour for my potato wedges instead of ketchup. Sometimes, things are so strange here. Around 10pm, my coworker and I hopped back on a bus to head towards home (we live in the same building) and decided to meet up with one of her friends for a drink and some darts. Next thing I knew, it was midnight and I was tired. Going out after work or staying out late can easily happen here.

I did choose to have a beer - and guess what kind that was???? I had a cold bottle of Corona!! Yessss! They brought it to me with .... a lemon, however because limes are expensive here. But I did ask the waiter for some salt (with help from my new acquaintances). He looked at me very strangely. I had to explain that I was going to add it to my beer with my lemon. So he brought me a small dish of salt and proceeded to look puzzled as I sprinkled salt into my bottle of Corona and turn it upside down to properly... give it head... or mix it up - whatever you want to call it. LOL. We explained that this is a thing that people in the US tend to do in some areas. It was a $12 beer but it was tasty. I also had some salty popcorn. YAY for the Salt Fix!!!! Although I only one beer, I did not want to wake up this morning.

Thursday, I take all of my paperwork down to immigration to apply for my Alien Residence Card so I will need to be up early and will have less time to prep for classes that usual unless I prepare tomorrow night after work.

That's all for now. Just some oddities that I though I would share. Yay for surviving three weeks!!!

Making Kids Cry...

March 10, 2019

So, yes, it's been a spell since I wrote but it's been a little busy and hectic. First off, I made a kid cry my first week while observing. I guess this 10 year old's mother forcefully entered her son into an English speaking contest where he has to memorize this absolutely mundane introductory speech and mother wanted us to go over it with him. Now, let me point out that the last week of February was the last week of these poor kid's freedom from public school and the little fellow really doesn't English well. Since I was the only "available" teacher who didn't have a class, I was asked to keep this adorably round little guy after class to work on this horrific task. He just wanted to go home like his classmates and thought I was being so mean to make him do this English and memorizing.

Well, when he broke out into tears, I ran to the office because honestly what else could this wicked witch from the west do?? So he was released from the building, but not before I was able to ask him in Korean if he was okay. His demeanor changed a little. I was hoping we'd be all buddy buddy when I saw him again but I didn't recall seeing him this past week in classes. Rumor has it that the other teachers recommended against him doing this to the uppers so that it could be passed on to mom, but these parents are just adamant about some things. Oh well, things happen.

So I completed my first week observing and they would be releasing me into the wild on Monday, the 4th. Sadly, this was also the week all of the kids started back to public school so being tired and a lot less interested was definitely on the agenda. I feel like the week went okay but I can honestly say that I did not feel like I was ready to be on my own yet. I could have used a second week observing.

Anyway, it was time to celebrate a 3 day weekend. I was going to meet everyone a town over but I decided to get out of the house early to avoid being offered dinner so I walked to the HomePlus (similar to a Walmart except it's 2 stories). This way I had an idea what it was like and where to find things once I was moved in and ready to shop.

After a bit of a cluster-flunk trying to find the correct bus to get to Ingye-dong where everyone was meeting, a nice lady and gentleman hailed a taxi for me and told the driver kindly where to shuttle me off to. We were meeting up for Indian food which I was looking forward to - something other than Korean already. Bear in mind, if you visit here, the cabs do not like to take cash. I believe you can pay with Samsung Pay but they all take cards. I've heard horror stories of foreigners trying to get a taxi and them not even stopping because they don't want to deal with the non-Korean language. Luckily, I made it to my destination good and in one piece ~ not a scary experience like it was in Rome.

I met up with two teachers from our school and their friends (other teachers they knew, 2 from South Africa and one from the states). The food was really good. Honestly, I enjoyed the naan the most (ironically the name of the place). Bread is my weakness next to a hearty slab of beef. Once dinner was done, we were going to head to a bar where we would meet up with some of the other teachers and make a night of it. Foreign teachers really have their own little clique in this country. One bar was the Cocky Pub where were met up with probably 7 more people, played beer pong, and Battleshots (which I can honestly say that I had never done until this night). Then we meandered towards a place called Thursday Party but it was busy and some of us older farts weren't feeling the crowd, so we went upstairs for karaoke (or norebang) which we proceeded to do until sometime after 4am. Another thing to remember is that buses and trains do not run after 12:30am so I had to take a taxi back to my foster residence and hope not to wake the owners.

Keep in mind, I probably didn't get to sleep until after 5am and had to wake up, pack, shower/get ready, and take everything downstairs to the car so that I could finally move into my own place. It would be the last time that I would see the teacher I was replacing. I think I was almost as sad to see her go as the people she had worked with the past year. I had been occasionally talking to her about the apartment, the school, what I should bring, etc, and when I finally met her I just felt like I really connected with her. But I couldn't let anything psych me out. I had to unpack, get groceries, and somehow plan for teaching on my own in 2 days.

Sunday I did my first load of laundry in my leaky washer (I was told it did this but I'll be damned if I wasn't going to bring it up and expect it fixed). No dryer though so this girl had to go old school and hang everything up to dry. The apartment come equipped with a rack from floor to ceiling in order to hang clothes. I turned a fan on them in hopes they would dry more quickly.

Now, I knew from the start that this place was a little older and run down, so to say. I had been warned not only by the director upon being hired but also by the previous tenant. I was lucky that one of the days before school, she met up with me and showed me how to get "home" and how to use everything. I was not impressed with the place but I knew I had some work ahead of me. One of the first things I did was unpack and try to find a place for everything in this rinky dink little abode. I had brought only a few items for decor since my bags were already overweight.

In putting everything up, it created a shopping list of all the things I still needed or wanted from the the HomePlus so I started over towards the big store only to see a freaking hole-in-my-pocket Daiso store first. I think I spent about $70 this night on things to decorate and lighten up the place some. It seemed so dark and dismal - especially the bathroom. The teacher that lived here had put up a shower curtain in the very gray ugly bathroom, and bless her heart, she used .... more gray to decorate. I purchased a cherry blossom shower curtain, some things to go on the walls, and things to just make my space more efficient (and then some BS stuff that I'm sure I didn't need but it's stinkin' cute).

After that trip I didn't feel like dragging my tired feet back the same direction (probably a mile and a half) just to get groceries. I had stopped at the Burger King for chicken so luckily I wasn't in need of food anyway. But Sunday.... yep, time to go BACK that tiring walk.... past that cursed Daiso.... and finally into the grocery section of the store.

Let me just say, Koreans are amazing engineers at some things, like grocery carts. The wheels on these things are multi-directional. There's never a reason to not be able to move out of someone's way. Also, since these carts can be taken down into the parking garage and also up to the 2nd floor, they have escalator-like sidewalks that have a slight incline/decline and the carts wheels will automatically lock once they pass onto the walkway. Other things like plumbing... well, there is a lot of room for improvement there.

I knew I'd have to carry all of the groceries that I bought so I had attempted a list. To eat a fairly Americanized lifestyle here literally cost me 3 times more money to buy most of the food I would have at home. $143 later and I had to stuff everything in my backpack and 2 reusable bags that I brought with me from Daiso in California (the Japanese branch... shhh...). That was a long and hellish walk, let me tell you. But I made it, hands crumpled painfully into half fists still as I unloaded my treasures. Sadly, it barely looks like I shopped.

I sat down for a few minutes proud of my feats. Not only did I survive the Korean market shopping experience, I made it home with everything in one piece. But then as I looked around, the apartment looked even more dull. So I mustered my tired butt back to the freaking Daiso for another round of "take Julie's money". I must say that I am fairly pleased with the way things look in here now. Even the other teacher complimented me after I sent her pictures to show her what I had done. So THAT was my weekend... before being kicked out of the nest.

I could honestly start a new post for that but I'm running short on time. So in a nutshell, first day went well and got gradually more disorganized. Half the time I didn't know what book the kids were in and the other half of the time I was just lost somehow. I felt like a hot mess and a half. I even came to school 2 hours early to prepare but that seemed to do very little.

As the week progressed I managed to find a method where mostly I can keep track of the 20 different classes and their homework/daily lessons. I even offered the students no tests if they actually do all of their homework but if one kid forgets, they still get tested. I've been told that I have this power and the kids definitely seem to like this aspect of my class. The week was long and it wasn't until I was walking home Friday night that I realized I haven't had a 5 day a week job in a very very long time. The moral is, I survived. I don't recall seeing my crier so I hope I didn't scare him out of the school.

Literally, I sat at home and did nothing but bills, watch Netflix, and laundry on Saturday. I had been debating on attempting to navigate my way to Pyeongtaek to check out a wrestling promotion that I stumbled across and the promoter offered to allow me to come crash their training. So I got plenty of rest so I could make my way there. After getting on one train that took me to a dead end stop, going backwards, and then onto the other train that went all the way there, I was delightfully giddy to see an Outback Steakhouse and a Starbucks!! But then I had to take a cab to the warehouse where training was at.

They do Western style wrestling mostly and some Lucha and Japanese style (I am familiar with all of these). I know it's not usually my thing but it's something familiar that transcends the language barrier. I was amazed that the promoter speaks such great English (his full time job is a translator). Honestly, some things about the indie scene are the same no matter what country or culture you're in. Struggling to pay costs, finding sponsors, drawing a crowd, a lot of proprietary mumbo jumbo that I couldn't disclose to the average person... but it's good to know that all of his workers are paid and it's better than most indie scenes back home. I was even asked to help out with some of my skills lol. Even though there was very little English used and we ate Korean food as a group, it felt as close to home as I'd felt since I got here. :)

And that, my friends, is where I will leave you for now. I will try to keep up better. So much coming up soon..... Have a good week and enjoy your daylight savings changes. Anyeong (bye)!

Observing Classes and Mini Excursions

February 26th, 2019

Well, I didn't write about the first day I began observing classes so here it is, day 3 and finally finding some time to do this. I think what stood out most about the first day doing this is that the students weren't expecting me until Monday so the looks on their faces as they entered the room to see a stranger was pretty memorable. Luckily, the teacher that I am replacing is immensely helpful and has not only written me notes on how she manages each class, but she has provided additional notes about the students themselves even including who they are related to. I really think I found a good place.

The first day was more about learning games, routines, introducing ourselves to each other, and attending a staff meeting. The staff meetings were just more or less present a game or something that we can teach the children in order to get new ideas for our own classes. One teacher does this every week. It sounds like I may not have to do it until April so this is good news. I think the first day I was more overwhelmed with everything plus I was still fighting some jet lag and a headache.

In this school, our classes are back to back, one hour each usually for 6 hours straight. This means we have one class for an hour and then after the 60 minutes is over, that class shuffles out while the other comes in to start. I think this actually runs much more smoothly than I had originally expected that it would. Although we are asked to be there at least 30 minutes before the start of our first class we will never work more than 6 hours in a day for the classes and no weekends unless we do one field trip. Honestly, it's a tight schedule but it's really not a bad deal. Most days I will be done at 8pm (which can change as needs change) but I've had way worse schedules than that. I already knew roughly what my hours would be before I came here and had already been assured by the other teachers that there were no hours beyond those that would come as a surprise.

After classes, we all went out for a staff dinner which was an enjoyable time. Everyone chose to go to a Chinese restaurant afterwards. Let me just say that this, to me, was not Chinese food but instead was just like most of the Korean menus and food I had seen over the previous days. I hadn't been able to eat much because I hadn't been eating a lot of starches and carbs before coming here. My body has really been taking some time to adjust. I do feel bad because my boss's family thinks I don't eat when in reality I do, I just eat smaller portions of things, especially when there is rice and noodles involved. Anyway, it was not like Chinese food in America, and according to one of our teachers who in Chinese, it is also not like the food in China.

I rode home with my boss and was just so tired that night, I went straight to sleep. I hadn't been invited anywhere with anyone but I'm not one to let that stop me. I don't like to just sit around all of the time and I wanted to get a better feel for the city I would be living in. There is a royal palace and a fortress that was nearby on the map and I figured that I would attempt to walk there - after all, I will be walking everywhere for the length of my stay here. I was getting ready to leave when my host came knocking on the door with the vacuum to ask to me clean my space. So I did and was immediately followed up with the offering of lunch. I did sit down to eat since it was the weekend, but I can only eat so much kimchi and rice before it gets old. I had already decided that I would try to find something out to eat so that I could choose my own food. But, after I was finished, I set out to explore.

Honestly, what I didn't know was that you could see the fortress wall and lookout posts from the apartment that I am staying in. I thought that was pretty cool. Using my Naver maps (similar to Google) I made my way to the bottom of the hill where the trek upwards would begin. I hadn't even gone maybe 50 feet before I realized that this was going to be a little more challenging than I had thought. I didn't know that everything would pretty much be up one of the steepest hills I've ever climbed but I had already made this a goal and wasn't going to turn back. I was often short of breath (partly a result of my asthma) and the other part because I simply have been lazy and I'm out of shape. But getting to the top that overlooked the city of Suwon (which was waaaay bigger than I had believed it to be), the effort was well worth it. What I didn't know was that the palace lay at the base of this steep, ginormous hill on the other side so I was in a hurry to get down so I could go in before it closed at 5.

It was interesting to see how many people were walking up and down this hill in dress shoes as if this is some easy casual stroll in the park. The only reason to go to the top is literally to hike or to see what's up there. It's not as if there are shops and stuff to look at. I walked around the palace for about an hour and a half. These things are always so cool and I can't wait to see it in the spring time. They are all pretty similar but still very beautiful to see. Also very glad I brought 2 inhalers with me. I didn't need it yet but I can tell there will be a point in which I will.

After the palace I sat in a park for a little enjoying what would be one of the better days of good air we would have for a spell. Then I trekked over to the fortress wall where there is a large gate. You can see images of this on many signs in the city so I felt I needed to see it in person. It's a seemingly short wall (taller than me to look over) but revealing a drop off on the other side to the rest of the city. As I walked along the pathway alongside this massive structure, I felt absolutely at peace. It wasn't too chilly out but I also did have a large winter coat hugging me. And yet, still tons of locals walking in their Sunday best and dress shoes - absolutely bizarre to me.

This is probably one of the first times that a stranger approached me also. Three girls also out exploring asked me to take their photo - visibly foreigners which is why I assume they approached me, assuming I spoke English. They were Russian but spoke English fairly decently. We chatted for a couple minutes before I began my walk home, hopefully in just enough time to have missed a plentiful serving of Korean dinner. I can be a picky eater, I know, but this is just simply needing a variation to my taste buds.

On Sunday, I was going to go the movie theater to see what was playing in English, just for the experience. But as I was getting ready, the co-worker who I was replacing told me she was running to Seoul to run some last minute errands before she left for the states and asked if I'd like to join. As of yet, I hadn't had to take any public transportation since when I visited in 2017 and I knew I still needed to purchase a T-money card (with cash) before I could hop on any form of public transit. I managed to get to the subway station (by walking because I didn't have my card to catch a bus) and then was able to purchase a one way pass to the next station where I would hopelessly search for my coworker. After a few phone calls and 20 minutes behind schedule, I managed to find her and we were on our way to the big city via train.

Her errands were really to cash her last check and exchange the money to US dollars before she closed her bank account later in the week. It felt a little exciting being back in Seoul again although I don't recall if I had been to that stop before. Low and behold, Namdaemun Market street was about a 10 minute walk uphill where we were sure to try this amazing honey pancake-like bread for roughly $1 (hottoeke). It was just a quick visit into the city but I was able to find a place to purchase my transit card, load it, and use it for the trip back home. So overall it was pretty successful. Best part is that I could re-familiarize myself with the subways/trains. Hadn't even attempted the buses but instead walked 25 minutes to the train station. LOL.

Monday and Tuesday were not really eventful ~ just more shadowing in classes and hoping I could do it. I learned a lot of games that the kids play in classes in order to have fun and earn points that they can later use at the school gift store (like a Dave and Busters). I was walking to and from school on my own like a big girl LOL. Monday morning I even had to go back into the hospital in order to grab the sealed results of all my medical tests. But I managed it on my own with my lack of Korean and even grabbed a coffee and treat to eat on my walk to work.

There is a Daiso (similar to a Dollar General but everything is all cutesy) right by work. I think this is very bad placement because I probably stop in there every other day for stuff or just to look. Once I get into my place, I think this store will be the reason I can't afford to eat. This is the last week my co-worker is here. Friday is a holiday and I have been invited to come to the send off activities. Then, Saturday I get to move in. Definitely looking forward to my own space again.

Anyway, signing off for now....

Greetings!

Today was an interesting experience. It was the day to get some of the necessary things taken care of before I actually start the job. So for those of you who may not know, I chose to bring 2 phones with me to Korea. This is probably a little different than what the typical foreigner does, but I kept my phone with T-Mobile active on my iPhone 6S and I am using a Samsung Note 9 for my Korean number. I don't suggest it for anyone that is doing this for long term but I have very specific reasons for this crazy methodology, of which I will not get into.

Anyway, my director took me to a store operated by one of her school friends so that I could get a Korean number and data plan for my Samsung. Anyone who is planning on staying here for any length of time, I highly recommend this - especially the Note 9. The phone being designed and manufactured here really just works best with all of the available services like Kakao (messaging and maps/services), you can use Samsung Pay instead of get the transit card (also known as a T-money card which requires you to provide cash at a convenience store to refill), the pen/stylus/remote comes in very handy as you can translate Korean to English better than Google translate - it's just native here and everything is very user friendly in this land LOL. For about 57,000 Korean won (KW or just under $57 USD) I got set up with my new phone number, a new screen protector, and about 5 GB of data for a temporary plan until I can acquire my Alien Residency Card (ARC) which is needed in order to do most business here.

The fun part is that in order to obtain your ARC along with your national health coverage, you have to have a medical exam completed at a government hospital (this part is VERY important). In the US, such a checkup could easily cost 100s of dollars but one thing I can say already by day 2 is that their healthcare is much more efficient and cost friendly than anything I have ever been privy to. Let me elaborate on this unique experience before I state the cost (yes, these are costs that are paid by the teacher-to-be, so racking up more costs for this new job - thankfully in my research I already knew about).

After we drove through the tight streets that, even though they were 2-way but often felt 1-way because of street parking, our second stop was the hospital. I am pretty sure that I would never want to drive here mostly because of the very tight spaces. Imagine New York city driving and parking, and then reduce that by half. Watching people park in these tiny spots is just as amazing as watching the trapeze artists do tricks at a carnival. I am thankful that my director took me to these places since she is fluent in both English and Korean so that these tasks could be done since I have heard and read so many stories where incoming teachers had to do these tasks on their own without speaking any Korean. Check-in literally was only as long as it took me to fill out my information onto a form and pay for the services in advance - and that was with maybe 5 other patients in the waiting area.

We went down a hallway where I was told that I would be getting an x-ray done (more or less a breast exam) and that I would have to put a tied top on in place of my clothing. I think the most awkward part about this was that once I changed and I had my lady bits flying free, I had to walk into the hallway where all of the other patients were casually strolling. This led to the x-ray room. The Doctor spoke quite a bit of English which definitely helped ease some of my anxieties thinking I was going to have a breast exam like in the US. Well ladies, this was not the case. They had me press up against a machine (not like a mammogram at all). I had to put my chin in a curved slot, breasts firmly pressed, and shoulders also pressed against this plate while I was standing there... which became even more uncomfortable when they raised the machine my chin was resting in so now I was trying to balance in this awkward position nearly on my toes. Luckily, I was able to leave the medical wardrobe on the whole time.

After the x-ray was complete, I was allowed to go back and change into my normal clothes. However, then it was time for more tests. So the interesting thing is that the hospital workers apparently go to lunch at 12:30p so we were speed walking up to the 2nd level for the remaining tests before they closed down for lunch (this is a concept I still cannot grasp LOL). We made it to the next room where it was time to retrieve bodily fluids. They handed me a fairly simple Dixie looking cup with a hand-drawn line on it where I needed to fill with urine - no lid - no plastic - not the form of security and sanitation that we are used to in the US, but I did my business and got back for the ever dreaded blood draw. I absolutely hate needles and having blood drawn is the worst. My heart started to race a little, I began to get hot and a little lightheaded so I turned my attention to a sad attempt to read the Korean papers to my right. I did well; I did not pass out or vomit so I think it was successful and I was pushed onto the last room for final tests.

In this room, they checked my weight and height. First of all, this fairly normal looking scale talks to you, not that I know what it said, but it sounds so sweet. The nurse never left her desk that was probably a good 5 feet away from me. Then, as if possessed by some unseen force, the scale to measure my height came down onto my head. I'm still not so sure why this "automated" scale was so impressive to me but I just know I think we need these all over the US - haha. She had me do an eye exam, of which they were extremely impressed with my vision. My director says that she has never had one of her teachers read as far down the scale as I did. Yay me. Oddly, they also checked me for color blindness. I have done these on my own but never once have I had a doctor/nurse check for it. Lastly, it was time for blood pressure. The machine clamped down so hard on my arm that I was sure all the blood in my arm would burst out from my hand. Doctors need to stop taking blood pressure AFTER taking blood. That already makes my heart rate increase. So, then I had to take a moment to meditate so that she could make an attempt manually to ensure that my heart rate wasn't at a crazy risk for a heart attack.

A couple of questions later and all was complete. I think from the time we walked in the front door until the time we left, the whole experience was about 45 minutes max. The most remarkable part about this was that all of the services listed above were paid for out of packet without insurance and the whole thing came to a total of 79,000 KW (or less than $79 USD). I couldn't even sneeze into a tissue at a doctor's office in the US for that cost with no insurance. So, now I wait until after 3pm tomorrow for all of my results. Seriously, just over 24 hours for results to all of that. Makes you think how much our doctors really do a number on our pockets and patience. Once I receive hopefully passing results, I can put in for my ARC so I can become a legal temporary citizen.

From there, we went to the school or hagwon (private tutoring school) so that I could meet some of the fellow teachers and become familiar with the area where the school is located. Starting tomorrow I have to walk to work so that I can observe classes for 5 days in order to be able to take over the classes from the teacher that is leaving. Seemingly sweet ladies who were ready to fill me with lots of information and ask many questions. The best part is that you can tell that they enjoy their job and are happy with the boss as much as one will be. Very refreshing since I have read so many horror stories and shady practices from other schools to the teachers coming to Korea. From there, it was time to just explore the neighborhood around the school and eventually make my way back to the apartment, SOLO. I am so grateful that I am blessed with impeccable directional skills. I could look at the tall apartment buildings around the area and was able to find the hospital and apartment building from the outside deck. Definitely one of my more desirable skills.

I took a stroll around where I found a little dessert shop where I had some ice cream and shaved ice milk (bing su) with chocolate powder and strawberries. Amazing! Not sweet like desserts in the US, and yes - although it is still cold outside, I was happy to have the cold treat for keeping myself collected and making it this far. While sitting on the second floor cafe, I could see a Daiso store where I was dying to hit up next. If you haven't been so blessed to know what a Daiso is, I'm sorry that your are lacking so much happiness in your life. It is basically like a dollar store although some things are more than the "dollar" amount but their items are all so absolutely adorable and you can find such a wide range of items there. For instance, I found a computer cable (not the right one for mine apparently), an extension cord, earphones, stationary, and a pen for about $12 USD. I am pretty sure that store will be the death of me as I have already seen so many items that I would like to purchase as gifts for my family and friends.

After maintaining some amazing self control and not handing over my whole bank account, I decided to start the walk back home. It's probably only a 15 minute walk and today was a pretty nice day overall. I am one of the only blond people that I have seen in this area - minus the one teacher that goes back home next week - so imagine that I stand out like a sore thumb. I've noticed that the children stare more at me than the adults but you can see the side glimpses from people as you pass by probably wondering if I'm lost or even just some crazed k-pop fan looking for a cute Korean guy. Luckily, judgement like that doesn't really bother me but instead I tend to laugh about it. I can only imagine how strange it is to them. In my very American way, I just flash a friendly smile their way knowing I will likely not receive any response because that is the culture that we grew up in but it is strange to them. Only once has a stranger even responded and they were younger girls goofing around in the store. They noticed that I was giggling about them having a good time and reciprocated. Oddly, it's those small and rare moments that I feel that I have made a little difference and my heart is lifted a little more.

Now I'm home, computer charging, two phones receiving and sending texts (oh boy), and still fighting off some jet lag. Earlier I received an emergency alert on both phones while I was typing this. Again, so glad I have that Samsung phone because the emergency message was ALL in Korean. It was only a notification about there being fine dust in the air tomorrow and recommended to wear masks. Not hungry, already a little tired, but the adorable little halmoni from my earlier post climbed up the steep staircase to ask me if I was hungry. I found out that she had broke a bone in her back recently and feel horrible that she even came upstairs. I attempted to tell her I wasn't hungry but a few attempts later she still brought me up a bowl of spicy ramyeon (ramen). One can't help but eat just because she tries so hard to make her guests comfortable. It's nice to have this type of attentiveness and concern when in an unfamiliar new place - even with the language barrier.

This is a long post and I apologize but I wanted to record these events for those that may be thinking about coming to Korea to work as well as let everyone know the experiences I have had here. I am sure my posts will become shorter and fewer as time begins to pass and things begin to feel somewhat normal.

I'm going to finish my ramyeon, put on my PJs, and settle into a warm heated bed early tonight since tomorrow I have my first class sit-in and I get to meet some of my students. Wish me luck and I hope that all is well on the other side of the globe. Hugs!!

Jewels
2-21-2019

First day in ROK

I needed sleep so much. I didn't sleep much on the 27 hour trip here and then my flight landed 30 minutes early so my director (Julie) wasn't at the airport yet. Finally, she got there with her mom. Very nice of her to drive an hour at 4 am to come get me. And thank heaven for cell phones. Without one I'd never know how to figure out how or where to meet people. A map simply wouldn't have sufficed in this situation. 

Surprisingly, there was no line going through customs and it was pretty quick.  Nothing to declare. It's just me and my necessities... heavy and probably some not so necessary... but things I spent months figuring out what to bring, even up to the very last minute. So happy to have a box of girl scout cookies though that I got for valentine's day before I left. It will definitely come in handy as comfort food later.

I'm staying at my director's family's home until March 1st when my apartment is ready. Julie's grandmother and mother live here. It's a cute 2 story place with the tiniest little round dog I've ever seen. Smaller than most chihuahuas. When we got in I went to sleep as the sun was rising. Then when I woke up I called my daughter for a little (just trying to get my bearings still) before getting into the very typical Korean shower/toilet area (at least from the ones I've seen). If you've never seen one, the shower is basically separated from the toilet by a small piece of glass yet all the floor of the bathroom is where the shower drains. You have to step down into the bathroom because that way the water will not flood into the house. You usually need shower slippers so when you use the restroom your feet don't get wet.

When I was was finished I went into my room to get ready for the day. Her grandmother had brought me a plate of kimbap, rice cake, an orange, and some drinks. The hospitality here never ceases to impress me. Her grandmother is so sweet. In case you want a quick Korean lesson, grandmother in Korean is halmoni (할머니) which is the only thing I knew to call her since she speaks no English. Luckily, I know enough key words to have an idea what she would say to me and answer or ask a few small things back. Very cute little grandma.

I decided to take a stroll around the neighborhood in order to get a feel for the area. This house is next to a street market so there's tons of fresh fruit and meats/fish for sale, clothes, restaurants, and pretty much anything else you can think of. I bought wet wipes, hair gel, and shower shoes for my first purchases here. I have to remember to be sensible with my spending and since I'm here for a year so there's no rush to buy trinkets and things. I probably walked around for a little over an hour but was still afraid of getting too far from the apartment so I went back.

'Grandma' then proceeded to ask me if I wanted to watch TV and showed me how to use the remote. Next thing I know, she's bringing me food. It's customary to make sure your guests are fed and very comfortable. I knew this but it's still sometimes strange to experience from a western point of view. She brought me kimchi pancakes with sesame oil... honestly, I'm not usually a fan of them but Halmoni makes them very yummy. I thought, "yay, this isn't too much food and I like it", but I figuratively spoke too soon... next thing I knew, Halmoni brought me a tray full of food - kimchi and radishes, rice, soup, greens, and seaweed. Way too much food. First order of business: to learn how to say "the food is wonderful but I'm full". Otherwise, I'll burst open here, lol.

I'm still tired from all the traveling, but I knew Julie would come back after work so I went upstairs to rest a little. When she got here, she and her mother took me out for grilled pork belly with a little soju. Honestly, there is so much difference between Korean food here than in the states. You hear the stories but really can't imagine it until you try it. I even voluntarily even ate onions in my lettuce wrap (don't tell my dad - mom always cooked without onions just for me) and there was a soup with mushrooms that I tried (didn't hate it nor did I eat the mushrooms but needless to say I did very well). The samjjang and kimchi has a much spicier aftertaste than what I'm used to, but dang it's good. Afterwards we came home and I called the momma before winding down for bed.

I have to get myself more alert though. I almost lost my phone twice in less than 24 hours. Once it fell out of my jacket in the car and the other time I thought I brought it to dinner when I actually left it in my room. Need to focus better for sure...

Anyway, tomorrow I head out with Julie for my medical exam, a sim card for my phone, and to meet the other teachers. It should be an interesting day. Don't lose phone and don't eat too much are both on the agenda also...haha.

Jewels
2-20-2019

On the way...

It wasn't until about 11.5 hours into the flight that I began to realize what was actually occurring. Honestly, up to this point it seemed like any overseas trip that I've taken before... And just when I actually started to think about it, did this all really feel like some dream as if tomorrow I'll wake up at the Joo's house as I have for the past 4 days, or even at mom and dad's.

People have been asking how I feel - if I'm excited - and my response has been, "I don't want to think about it until I'm stuck on a plane". Well, that is definitely how it worked out for me. I tend to have an idea and then just act on it. If I think about anything too much I will likely never do anything. I know this about myself.

Everyone always says how brave I am and it takes a lot not to just laugh because most things I just do without dwelling in thought. Don't get me wrong, I plan - I believe I plan a lot. I doubt many people have as much planned as I do. Granted, most are probably younger and just barely learning about life and adult skills. But I also know if I think too much about anything I will probably psych myself out with all the 'ifs' and things that could go wrong. So - I just act... I set a 'goal', if you will, and just do it unless I absolutely feel in my gut that it's not right.

So, here I sit on a plane somewhere over Russia, maybe even China (I have to look it up when I land in Hong Kong) thinking, "oh my gawd, did I really just leave everything I had and knew behind!?!?" Then I think, "I still cant even begin to imagine what immigrants and refugees are going through". Likely, they aren't sure where they'll be staying, what to expect - probably little planning or belongings. I brought 2 suitcases of stuff, which I'm sure is way more than people in these situations. I can't even begin to count how many boxes people were checking in on this flight... we are very spoiled and sometimes this leads to a crazy idea of entitlement. 

This is a strange mix of emotions to feel both so selfish about everything I left and about other's struggles. I've done well not shedding many tears (yet) - mostly because I know they won't stop flowing if they start (which is why I decided to stop watching movies on the flight). There are other things that I need to focus on first and my sadness is just not on the top of that list now.

Anyway, in the midst of my selfish thoughts I race back to other's plights and struggles. Honestly, it's both a blessing and a curse. Not only do I think of complete strangers whom I've never seen nor met, but I think about those who I left behind.

I casually tell people it's no big deal because we go daily not being around everyone every moment - people move to different cities or states all the time and I keep telling myself this is really no different. About 90% of me believes that LOL. But I hope that in what I am doing it isn't hurting anyone. I'm crappy at goodbyes because I don't like to get emotional - doesn't mean that I'm not, it just means it isn't helping me and my goals at that moment.

Anyway, rambling over, but I just felt that I needed to catalogue some of these feelings and thoughts in their purest non-collected form before I forget or alter them. Biggest thing to say is that when asked if I'm excited or how I feel is that it really feels like some outlandish dream at the moment. That is neither good nor bad, just aware that the situation feels unreal and unfamiliar.

Jewels
2-19-2019

Hong Kong

At Hong Kong airport... lines always seem to be long. The line from arrivals and through security checkpoint took about 45 minutes. Good thing I had a long layover... now I wait nearly 4 hours.

They must drive in the left here in Hong Kong because I got on the moving sidewalk in the airport on the wrong side. I'm sure I had a few people laugh because it even took me a minute to realize I wasn't going the way I hoped. This airport is very simple and practically dull. Of coursee,  I did buy a couple of trinkets because who knows when I will be here again.

But DANG it's humid here - 80% and 73 degrees!!! This dessert rat is really going to have a hard time adjusting to these climates. I'm tired but don't want to sleep for security reasons. Trying to figure out how long my flight to ROK will actually be. Silly that I literally flew past Korea to turn around and go back that way. Travel is so weird sometimes. Technically, I lost a day - I left Monday morning from California and it's already the end of the day on Tuesday here. Fun - lol. Hoping my director just lets me sleep all day Wednesday instead id having to fo into class. I probably look like I've been beat up. Here's hoping...

Jewels
2-19-2019

Getting Started with a New Chapter...

     So, here it is, January 1st of 2019 - another year come and gone as time tends to go. Trying to take advantage of as much of it as I possibly can while I am still breathing ~ after all, isn't that what life is all about?

     I decided Time was asking me to make some changes. In September of 2018 I opted to leave a job that I had been working at for 20 years. I've had many people question why I would do this. Well, first of all, I graciously fell into this job when I was merely a young single mother at the age of 21. I needed the work. I think I probably somewhat enjoyed the job every once in awhile but occasionally found that some of the people that I worked with were the only reason I could tolerate the job (in some cases despise it more) - often both a blessing and a curse. However, this was never the job that I dreamt of doing. It rarely did anything to fulfill me; it just kept a roof over our head and food in our bellies (most days). And no, there was no pension - no perks - no great send off... I got a pen and a business card holder for all of the absurdity I had been privy to all those years, but I felt a massive weight lifted from me.

    I have always wanted to travel more but parenthood, money, and the infamous employer seemed to dislike this desire. With the kids gown up I just had to figure out my way around the other two hurdles. I had been "encouraged" to return to college which I had finally completed my Bachelor of Science in Human Services March of 2018 and got a certification to teach English as a second language (ESL/TEFL/TESOL). So now what to actually do with it.

     I honestly could not stomach staying at that soul sucking company that I had been with since what felt like the beginning of time. It was one of the most difficult things I ever did on a weekly basis. I had finally just got comfortable in my financial situation. However, leaving my job and starting in the Human Services field here would cut my livable salary in half making it not so livable. I had to find a solution that would allow me to afford to live yet use my degree while building my resume some. And without a vivid moment of thought, the idea of teaching English in a foreign country presented itself. Not only did this option fulfill my wanderlust, I could leave my job and someone else would pay me to work abroad. Haha and someone once told me I'd spend all that money on a degree and never be able to use it. (*sending raspberries*)

    Up, I left, without a glance behind. I had so much paperwork and other things to complete before I could get a job abroad. Some countries offered paid housing and a minimal salary. This was definitely an enticing perk. I could save money (or have money to travel) while doing something new. Due to my upbringing, family history, and recent language interest I chose Korea - SOUTH - for all of those that ask, it's difficult to refrain from smacking the nonsense out of you. Luckily for everyone, I have surprisingly impeccable restraint ;).

     To work abroad as an English teacher requires certain documents which can vary by country and surprisingly more money than most future jobs. I had to complete an FBI background, have that and my BS processed through a special international notary called an apostille, resumes, Skype interviews, Fed Ex-ing paperwork overseas, visa processes ... and on top of still having some monthly expenses and other things to do before leaving the country for awhile. Writing it all out doesn't really feel like so much but the whole process of just paperwork took nearly 3 months and $1,100. Luckily, I saved a little money by already having a valid passport with enough time before it expires.

     After a ridiculous amount of emails from recruiters from China, Thailand, and Korea that I had to sort through often and respond to regularly for interviews while keeping in mind the time/date differences, I finally found a school in Suwon that didn't seem to be trying to scam me into some unreasonably sketchy contract. For those looking into this as an option, keep in mind most of these schools are in this business for the money that they charge the students' families and less into your satisfaction and happiness as an employer. If you are from an English speaking country and "look the part" they want to use you mostly as a marketing aspect and less for your qualifications (or lack thereof) and satisfaction. Fortunately, due to many years of researching family court processes and board of labor violations, I have become pretty well versed in a lot of legalese. Keep an eye out specifically for words like "employer/employee" (you want these in your contract), anything that may require additional stipulations once you reach your said country for the contract to be valid (red flag), and most importantly recruiters that bully or "threaten" that they can find anyone. While this is likely true, they probably have difficulties keeping teachers. You may be walking into a hot mess.

     So now, with a one-way ticket in hand to Korea as of February 2019, I wait, impatiently, eagerly, terrified to some extent, yet excited. Many people are supportive in my choice and adventurous plans and some quietly say nothing. What is most challenging is the time while I wait to leave. All of this free time gives me that much more time to question "what the hell am I doing?" and for all of the fearful thoughts to flood in. I know that every day will not be superb and there is a lot that I will have to get accustomed to. After visiting for one week in 2018 I realized many of the things that will make it hard for me on a daily basis such as: where all of the trashcans are, bottled water, air drying my clothes, absurd humidity, language barriers, real Mexican food, 4 seasons, no car/using public transportation for everything, deodorant, paying bills in the US like car/insurance/storage/etc, starting a completely new career, being away from friends and family, and more. We never really realize how much we take for granted. On many levels it is similar to life here but with many differences and the best internet around.

     Pardon me if I need a lot of quiet time to myself before I go as everyday this becomes more and more real and until I am fully into it with no way to back out or run, I will need to find ways to maintain my courage and stay centered. I have noticed that I can get more easily aggravated having to explain myself or a situation, also by any negativity - as small as someone saying "things are crap for me" or "that's stupid". I can only think to myself, "THEN CHANGE SOMETHING". The universe gives you so many roads to choose and it is up to you which ones to take. At any time, you can reroute just like Google maps.... A lot of people I don't even think realize that they are chronic complainers sometimes. It really makes things harder to stay positive and driven at times.

     So, please, don't be upset with me when I seclude myself or seem to shutdown so that I can continue on this amazing journey and experience. I know I will be basically alone when I arrive. I will struggle with many new changes and a very small handful of people will even begin to understand what it is that I am going through - sometimes even myself. So, I have chosen to use this blog to chronicle what I will be and have gone through to get to this point. I hope you will follow with me and continue to be supportive and understanding. This is the beginning of a new chapter and every moment will help determine how this story progresses and eventually ends. Here's to changing everything that you are comfortable with....Cheers!