On Thursday, my lovely and wonderful husband arrived in America to begin the U.S. chapter of our life together. He is now an official permanent resident of the United States, on his way to citizenship in a few years (if all goes according to plan, which it rarely does).
I have to say that for the last month, I've been in a major funk. Most of this is attributable to my job struggle and stress (which I absolutely must blog about, but felt very uncomfortable doing as it unfolded for a variety of reasons--not the least of which was what might happen if potential employers discovered my blog) and not having my own place for the first time in my adult life without a definite plan for obtaining (and affording) one soon. With Min Gi here again, I realize that a big part of it was also missing him. He calms me down from my often irrational and uptight self and brings me back to reality. So, it's good to have him back. He has also promised to start blogging (mostly in Korean, some in English perhaps), so I will be linking that blog soon.
As I mentioned, I have been offered and accepted a full time English teaching position at a small high school in the same county where I worked before going to Korea. The position is for ninth grade regular level and an inclusion (half special education students) class, but my schedule is not completely definite at this point because the long term sub who I will be taking over from has been teaching a history elective that will be moved back to the social studies department, leaving me one class short. It's A-day, B-day style block scheduling, but the ninth and tenth grade classes that are not honors level meet every day to prepare for the Maryland High School Assessment (HSA) which occurs at the end of English 10. This is good for both the students, who get extra practice, and for me, who will have a smaller overall student load.
I took this job for many, many reasons beyond the fact that it was the first full time, contracted teaching position offered to me (though it was that, too). In fact, before accepting, I had been very excited by a long term sub position in another county with an offer to move me into contracted as soon as a spot opened up--a county with a much better reputation for both education and for teacher support than the one I'm working for (again). However, this school impressed me. First off, I ran into the woman who trained me in the Resident Teacher Program I took to become certified six years ago while waiting for my interview. We caught up, and since she works there as an Instructional Coordinator, she was, as always, very straight with me about the good and bad things about the school. In the interview itself, one of the Assistant Principals (about five minutes in) said, "I'm not supposed to say this at this point, but I'm going to: I like you. I want you to work here." It's flattering, but more importantly, being desired as a teacher at a school goes a long way towards winning administrators over to your side, which is absolutely necessary as a teacher new to a school. Finally, they all but promised me Advanced Placement classes next year (which I LOVE teaching) and that they would support me in establishing a school theater program (this school has none). I was sold.
The school is a bit out in the country, but I like that. Yesterday (with the great assistance of my brother and good friend Michelle), Min Gi and I have moved to Waldorf, which is in Southern Maryland, a five minute commute from my new job and about 30 minutes from DC. We took a two bedroom townhouse for us and the cats, ensuring plenty of space for any family members or friends from Korea who would like to visit. Fortunately for me, Waldorf is also an area where I have a number of friends, thanks to my previous work with a community theater in neighboring La Plata, the Port Tobacco Players. (As a welcome home present for Min Gi, I got us tickets to their production of Arsenic and Old Lace, which was fantastic, although it closed this weekend.)
So now, other than the insomnia from drinking too much caffeine to help with moving yesterday and the fact that the cats and a few boxes are still at my parents' house (hopefully this will be resolved today), we have accomplished my major goal for the year, which was to move us all here and find a good job. I start teaching Monday, and while I'll do some prep work this week and attend back to school night this evening, I don't intend to stress any more about jobs until after I've begun working!
And that's what's been going on.
Showing posts with label cat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cat. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
First Five Days in America
Wowee... America is just overwhelming. On my last day in Korea, Min Gi and I went to the Dongdaegu bus station at 3 a.m. to catch the bus with two cats, two huge bags, and my carry on oversize "purse." On the five hour ride to Incheon, the kitties mewled the whole time, I'm sure to the chagrin of nearby passengers. At the airport, we had to take them through Incheon's "quarantine" check station and then check Princess into the baggage compartment, while Saja got to accompany me in the cabin under the seat in front of me. I said goodbye to my husband just outside the security gate. The kitties and I made it on the 13.5 hour plane ride in a daze. My love for Korean Air is vast and bottomless.
Mom and Brian picked me up from the airport. They proceeded to talk about babies for the next hour. Mom claims that she only wants to talk about Brian's friend Elizabeth's baby, and that she won't pressure me at all for five years. She keeps reminding me how she's not pressuring me... Like every few minutes the first couple days, now more like once every few hours.
The rest of this first day is a little blurry. I ate pizza and burritos and unpacked in the temporary room with the fold out couch (the basement is unfinished) and played with the shell-shocked cats in the basement and slept at odd hours.
Friday, my first full day in America, took me to an Ethiopian food cafe in Gaithersburg where I met Anne's family for a delightful lunch. Then Anne and I hung out in the afternoon, doing some shopping and walking around a park, lamenting the absence of young children on the perfectly beautiful summer day. Why don't kids play outside anymore? What happened to that?
Then, her friend called to cancel, giving me the chance to attend my first EVER professional football game in America--the pre-season game between the Washington Redskins and the Buffalo Bills! It was overwhelming (especially understanding everything that the other fans were saying all around me) and exciting (especially watching dancing girls--I mean "cheerleaders"--with actual booties to shake). The Redskins were winning so overwhelmingly that, by the end of the third quarter, we decided to escape to beat a bit of the traffic. I forgot how into football Americans are. It was fun to walk through the "tailgaters"--people who showed up hours before the game to park in the lot and have cookouts out of the back of their vehicles, and to see the painted-up, jersey-wearing hardcore fans. The whole thing reminded me of World Cup in Korea, but more intense because we were actually in the stadium.
Sadly, because I didn't know we were going to do anything super cool and because my brain was (and still kind of is) total mush, I forgot my camera.
Saturday, I was lazy and tired and our internet blew out. I hung around the house. Helped Elizabeth's husband, Mike, to mud (fill in the cracks with putty) the dry wall in the room in the basement where Min Gi and I will live temporarily (when it's finished). Cooked dinner (corn on the cob, mac 'n cheese, bread, fruit salad). Just tired and lazy and super jet lagged.
Sunday, I was still exhausted, but I was supposed to go to the fair with Anne and Sam. This did not happen. But I did kidnap Sam from Baltimore in the afternoon and then cooked pizza for everyone at home (including Mike and Elizabeth) and then had a complete breakdown after dropping Sam off at home because when I got back to the house (8:30 pm), I was dead tired, operating on patchy and limited sleep, dealing with the fact that our guests were sitting just outside my "bedroom" so I couldn't go to bed (and all the other beds were currently occupied), and I hadn't talked to Min Gi in two days because of the internet problems. I just sort of fell apart and started crying and felt really bad and embarrassed about the whole thing. Jet lag is very evil.
This morning, I've had nearly a full 8 hours (first time in days), took a long walk/jog (I have got to remember how much better I feel after exercise), met a new man in our neighborhood who complimented me on my appearance post-workout (haha), and have internet on my very own computer (so I FINALLY know that Lauren won SYTYCD Season 7). Finally, things are looking up.
Now... if only I can get hired!
Mom and Brian picked me up from the airport. They proceeded to talk about babies for the next hour. Mom claims that she only wants to talk about Brian's friend Elizabeth's baby, and that she won't pressure me at all for five years. She keeps reminding me how she's not pressuring me... Like every few minutes the first couple days, now more like once every few hours.
The rest of this first day is a little blurry. I ate pizza and burritos and unpacked in the temporary room with the fold out couch (the basement is unfinished) and played with the shell-shocked cats in the basement and slept at odd hours.
Friday, my first full day in America, took me to an Ethiopian food cafe in Gaithersburg where I met Anne's family for a delightful lunch. Then Anne and I hung out in the afternoon, doing some shopping and walking around a park, lamenting the absence of young children on the perfectly beautiful summer day. Why don't kids play outside anymore? What happened to that?
Then, her friend called to cancel, giving me the chance to attend my first EVER professional football game in America--the pre-season game between the Washington Redskins and the Buffalo Bills! It was overwhelming (especially understanding everything that the other fans were saying all around me) and exciting (especially watching dancing girls--I mean "cheerleaders"--with actual booties to shake). The Redskins were winning so overwhelmingly that, by the end of the third quarter, we decided to escape to beat a bit of the traffic. I forgot how into football Americans are. It was fun to walk through the "tailgaters"--people who showed up hours before the game to park in the lot and have cookouts out of the back of their vehicles, and to see the painted-up, jersey-wearing hardcore fans. The whole thing reminded me of World Cup in Korea, but more intense because we were actually in the stadium.
Sadly, because I didn't know we were going to do anything super cool and because my brain was (and still kind of is) total mush, I forgot my camera.
Saturday, I was lazy and tired and our internet blew out. I hung around the house. Helped Elizabeth's husband, Mike, to mud (fill in the cracks with putty) the dry wall in the room in the basement where Min Gi and I will live temporarily (when it's finished). Cooked dinner (corn on the cob, mac 'n cheese, bread, fruit salad). Just tired and lazy and super jet lagged.
Sunday, I was still exhausted, but I was supposed to go to the fair with Anne and Sam. This did not happen. But I did kidnap Sam from Baltimore in the afternoon and then cooked pizza for everyone at home (including Mike and Elizabeth) and then had a complete breakdown after dropping Sam off at home because when I got back to the house (8:30 pm), I was dead tired, operating on patchy and limited sleep, dealing with the fact that our guests were sitting just outside my "bedroom" so I couldn't go to bed (and all the other beds were currently occupied), and I hadn't talked to Min Gi in two days because of the internet problems. I just sort of fell apart and started crying and felt really bad and embarrassed about the whole thing. Jet lag is very evil.
This morning, I've had nearly a full 8 hours (first time in days), took a long walk/jog (I have got to remember how much better I feel after exercise), met a new man in our neighborhood who complimented me on my appearance post-workout (haha), and have internet on my very own computer (so I FINALLY know that Lauren won SYTYCD Season 7). Finally, things are looking up.
Now... if only I can get hired!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Ok, Korea... what do you want from me?
With about 24 hours to go before I hop on the plane to DC (which explains the lack of updates, btw), Korea's trying to send me a message about my leaving, but I can't figure out what it is, yet. Here are the news events from the last few days that are just... bizarre:
1. My school was hit with a major round of food poisoning, cancelling all my classes on Monday. The cafeteria is now out of commission until further notice.
2. The day after we leave Jeju (yes, tons of pictures and blogging from that to come) to return to Daegu, it's hit by typhoon Dianmu. A major one (and the rains from it have made it up to the mainland now, too) that closed down all the airports. Hopefully it will have passed through Korea by tomorrow and not be affecting Incheon... Sheesh.
3. A bus exploded in Seoul Monday, injuring 17 people. It's so crazy because nothing like that had happened to these buses before and now everyone's worried about the safety of these buses that run on natural gas.
4. North Korea. I really don't know if I need to say more since the situation is so charged up right now that it's actually making the headlines in the U.S. again.
So... is 우리나라 telling me to go or to stay or to do a silly dance? Dunno. I'm just trying to go about my business of getting everything done and packed and saying goodbye to as many people as possible without weeping hysterically (Ohmma almost broke me down last night when she started crying and agreed to visit the U.S. for the first time) before we hop the 3 am bus to Incheon with two cats.
Thankfully, my wonderful husband is willing to do the round trip with me to Incheon (five hours in a bus each way) to ease the process of checking in the cats and to say goodbye melodramatically as we separate for the next month.
But for now, I have to go meet Se Jin for coffee. On about 4 hours of sleep with the rain pelting down... Korea... I'll miss you, though you seem to be pouting like a spoiled child at my departure.
1. My school was hit with a major round of food poisoning, cancelling all my classes on Monday. The cafeteria is now out of commission until further notice.
2. The day after we leave Jeju (yes, tons of pictures and blogging from that to come) to return to Daegu, it's hit by typhoon Dianmu. A major one (and the rains from it have made it up to the mainland now, too) that closed down all the airports. Hopefully it will have passed through Korea by tomorrow and not be affecting Incheon... Sheesh.
3. A bus exploded in Seoul Monday, injuring 17 people. It's so crazy because nothing like that had happened to these buses before and now everyone's worried about the safety of these buses that run on natural gas.
4. North Korea. I really don't know if I need to say more since the situation is so charged up right now that it's actually making the headlines in the U.S. again.
So... is 우리나라 telling me to go or to stay or to do a silly dance? Dunno. I'm just trying to go about my business of getting everything done and packed and saying goodbye to as many people as possible without weeping hysterically (Ohmma almost broke me down last night when she started crying and agreed to visit the U.S. for the first time) before we hop the 3 am bus to Incheon with two cats.
Thankfully, my wonderful husband is willing to do the round trip with me to Incheon (five hours in a bus each way) to ease the process of checking in the cats and to say goodbye melodramatically as we separate for the next month.
But for now, I have to go meet Se Jin for coffee. On about 4 hours of sleep with the rain pelting down... Korea... I'll miss you, though you seem to be pouting like a spoiled child at my departure.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Crossing Off To-Do Lists
I tried to write about saying goodbye to my students at Taegu Foreign Language High School. But I was unable to do so at this time. It's been very emotional. Even just mentioning my goodbye meals with my co-workers at TFLHS is getting me a little choked up. Some of these men and women (especially the women) are the smartest, hardest-working teachers I know. Even when I disagree with them (or they with me), I thoroughly respect their point of view and their professionalism. Although it's not like saying goodbye to Roosevelt, which was my first teaching job and first professional career post college, it's still tough.
At the goodbye luncheon with the English Department; My present is a Korean cookbook in English.
I've been here two years. In that time I've learned a lot about negotiation, bureaucracy, cultural nuances, testing, and assumptions. (Yes, I learned some of that at Oedae, but honestly, the hagwons are run like businesses more than schools, and I was lucky enough to work for an American director which insulated me from a lot of the workplace cultural differences). These things were always a part of teaching in the U.S., but experiencing them in another country has made them more transparent to me. A lot of foreign teachers come to Korea without having taught before, so perhaps their perspective is a little different, but I have to say that even if I never return to an international position, the things I've learned here will change how I approach teaching forever.
Rather than deal with emotional enormity of leaving my students and my position, I've chosen to focus today on the necessary tasks I must complete before I board the plane out of here in 23 (really? REALLY?) days and return "home" (or rather, repatriate). I would say that it's amazing how entrenched I've become in Korea and my life here, but those of you who know me know that it's hardly surprising that I dug right in and made myself at home. For the last year, I've been slowly moving towards minimalism and so I'm not really surprised by the amount of things I've collected here (as I've been increasing my awareness of and trying to let go my connection with stuff), but organizing, packing, and preparing it does rekindle memories of Korean classes and taekwondo belts gone by.
And so, my nose is to the grindstone (as it were), and my heart is in nostalgia-ville (visiting its cousins, the tear ducts, from sentimental-town). It's a process. Ever circular, but ever forward. Especially circular as the woman whose job I took when I first arrived in Korea three years ago, Jane, landed in Korea yesterday to return to her old position. I believe I may return some of the things she gave me to their original owner (who'd have thunk it?).
I started this journey alone, with my cat and vague hopes for the future. I'm returning with a husband, another cat, a black belt in taekwondo, thousands of pictures, many more memories, and a lot of love and respect for a country that will now always be another "home." Life can change a lot in three years, or not at all. In the end, it's not what happens to you--it's who you are.
Enjoy some pictures of the students I can't write about or I'll start crying:
At the goodbye luncheon with the English Department; My present is a Korean cookbook in English.
I've been here two years. In that time I've learned a lot about negotiation, bureaucracy, cultural nuances, testing, and assumptions. (Yes, I learned some of that at Oedae, but honestly, the hagwons are run like businesses more than schools, and I was lucky enough to work for an American director which insulated me from a lot of the workplace cultural differences). These things were always a part of teaching in the U.S., but experiencing them in another country has made them more transparent to me. A lot of foreign teachers come to Korea without having taught before, so perhaps their perspective is a little different, but I have to say that even if I never return to an international position, the things I've learned here will change how I approach teaching forever.
Rather than deal with emotional enormity of leaving my students and my position, I've chosen to focus today on the necessary tasks I must complete before I board the plane out of here in 23 (really? REALLY?) days and return "home" (or rather, repatriate). I would say that it's amazing how entrenched I've become in Korea and my life here, but those of you who know me know that it's hardly surprising that I dug right in and made myself at home. For the last year, I've been slowly moving towards minimalism and so I'm not really surprised by the amount of things I've collected here (as I've been increasing my awareness of and trying to let go my connection with stuff), but organizing, packing, and preparing it does rekindle memories of Korean classes and taekwondo belts gone by.
And so, my nose is to the grindstone (as it were), and my heart is in nostalgia-ville (visiting its cousins, the tear ducts, from sentimental-town). It's a process. Ever circular, but ever forward. Especially circular as the woman whose job I took when I first arrived in Korea three years ago, Jane, landed in Korea yesterday to return to her old position. I believe I may return some of the things she gave me to their original owner (who'd have thunk it?).
I started this journey alone, with my cat and vague hopes for the future. I'm returning with a husband, another cat, a black belt in taekwondo, thousands of pictures, many more memories, and a lot of love and respect for a country that will now always be another "home." Life can change a lot in three years, or not at all. In the end, it's not what happens to you--it's who you are.
Enjoy some pictures of the students I can't write about or I'll start crying:
 |
| English Theater Festival at 외고 2010 |
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Contributing Writer to Joongang Daily
Well, this has been a very emotional week for me, and I want to write about it all. However, I've also come down with the flu. So I will give you a few highlights:
--We held the second English Play Festival at our school (I mentioned last year's festival in brief). I wrote an article for the Joongang Daily that ran on Friday about our schools English Play Festival. You can read "Students learn English through acting in Daegu," which is my attempt to keep some things foreign teachers do in Korea in a positive light. William wrote a much more detailed and emotional view of our brainchild over at his blog. I will put up my own thoughts and feelings about this later when I can do so without being reduced to an emotional puddle of goo.
--Saja likes to chase her tail. She does this daily for about 10 minutes. It's very entertaining, so I will share my 30 second clip of it with you:
I will fill you in on more happenings (of which there are many) in short order. For now, back to bed with more medicine.
--We held the second English Play Festival at our school (I mentioned last year's festival in brief). I wrote an article for the Joongang Daily that ran on Friday about our schools English Play Festival. You can read "Students learn English through acting in Daegu," which is my attempt to keep some things foreign teachers do in Korea in a positive light. William wrote a much more detailed and emotional view of our brainchild over at his blog. I will put up my own thoughts and feelings about this later when I can do so without being reduced to an emotional puddle of goo.
--Saja likes to chase her tail. She does this daily for about 10 minutes. It's very entertaining, so I will share my 30 second clip of it with you:
I will fill you in on more happenings (of which there are many) in short order. For now, back to bed with more medicine.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Weekend and Q & A: Food Allergies; Spiders
I had a delightful weekend, although it was rainy off and on both days. On Saturday, I woke up early and had a nice little hike with my husband. Then a friend (Paige) and I went out to Ulsan to visit Hayoung (the Korean MC at our wedding) who has taken ill once more. We got lost for a bit and ate a lot of dairy-based junk food which made me roll around in pain for about two hours, vowing to go vegan as soon as the pain was relieved.
On Sunday, Min Gi and I awoke even earlier to meet Min Su and In Shil (the in-laws) for a trip out to the Bong-hwa area of the Nakdong river for three hours of rafting (I would hardly call it whitewater, though). Our guide was a Physical Education major at a university in Daegu (I didn't catch which one) who lamented the fact that he was single and then proceeded to entertain us like a gag-show comedian for three hours. We also dove off of very big rocks into the river, which was a little terrifying, but fun. We ate tiny freshwater fish (so much for veganism) and visited a 500 year old village famous for a kind of cookie that tasted like sugar-coated gingerbread. Min Su sent pictures to Min Gi that I will post in short order.
Now for more formspring fun.
If you have allergies and still refuse the food, are you offending them?
By "them" I'm going to assume you mean Koreans and that this is a follow-up to my previous comments about trying not to refuse food because it is considered rude. Refusing food in Korea is like refusing to shake someone's hand in a Western country. I recommend you try to explain why you are refusing the food--most will be understanding, but yes, you're probably going to offend some people. That's just the way the world works. You'll be seen as a weirdo and very unfriendly. At best, they'll dismiss it as a foreign oddity. At worst, you will permanently damage your professional relationship.
I'm lucky that Korea has a pretty high number of Buddhists and therefore at least a passing acceptance of vegetarianism, if not a clear understanding of what that always entails (and I admit my eating seafood is not helpful to future foreign vegetarians... sorry guys!) Still, I offend people by not eating meat, but it's just a few. For example, after one semester at my school, they hired a new nutritionist. I had been eating in the school cafeteria (a MUST DO for foreign teachers in Korea if you want to make nice with your co-workers), but the new nutritionist LOVES meat. Seriously, the woman puts meat in everything, even the rice. I was only eating once a week, but paying for all the meals, so I finally just said I couldn't do it anymore. It was ok because I'd already established myself at the school, but I can see hostility/resentment/confusion/curiosity about my absence from the cafeteria in newer teachers to the school. It does not send a positive message.
Most Koreans are overwhelmingly accommodating of my food limitations (and sensitive to the preferences/limitations of other foreigners--especially spicy food because they firmly believe foreigners cannot eat spicy food) because Koreans love food (really!) and want you to love their food, too. Hopefully your bosses and other people who have a serious influence on your life in Korea are going to be understanding. I really recommend not refusing anything for the first couple months, even if you don't eat it. Fake it. Eat the rice, but pick at everything else. Take it home and toss it out there. Accept a new food, but don't take a bite until later when you can confirm what's in it (Korean teachers do this all the time, so I assume it's ok).
If you have life threatening allergies, you can try to explain this to the teacher/co-worker who speaks the best English, but food allergies are not all that common here (even Koreans with an allergy to alcohol--which is a common allergy in Asians--will consume it and just deal with the bright red, blotchy face they get as a result). It's possible they won't really understand. I'm not saying eat a food that will send you to the hospital, but I am saying that you might have to work double time to repair cultural bridges.
Are there a lot of spiders in South Korea?
What an odd question. But I guess now that it's summer, I'm seeing more of all kinds of life here, including spiders.
I encounter spiders in Korea at about the same rate I encountered them in the U.S. (I lived near Washington, DC). There are very few in my house (because I have cats). There are more in the countryside and mountains than there are in the cities. Some have very pretty colors. Most are tiny and harmless. Spiders are called Keo-mi (거미) in Korean. Beyond that, I know nothing.
Keep the questions coming, guys.
On Sunday, Min Gi and I awoke even earlier to meet Min Su and In Shil (the in-laws) for a trip out to the Bong-hwa area of the Nakdong river for three hours of rafting (I would hardly call it whitewater, though). Our guide was a Physical Education major at a university in Daegu (I didn't catch which one) who lamented the fact that he was single and then proceeded to entertain us like a gag-show comedian for three hours. We also dove off of very big rocks into the river, which was a little terrifying, but fun. We ate tiny freshwater fish (so much for veganism) and visited a 500 year old village famous for a kind of cookie that tasted like sugar-coated gingerbread. Min Su sent pictures to Min Gi that I will post in short order.
Now for more formspring fun.
If you have allergies and still refuse the food, are you offending them?
By "them" I'm going to assume you mean Koreans and that this is a follow-up to my previous comments about trying not to refuse food because it is considered rude. Refusing food in Korea is like refusing to shake someone's hand in a Western country. I recommend you try to explain why you are refusing the food--most will be understanding, but yes, you're probably going to offend some people. That's just the way the world works. You'll be seen as a weirdo and very unfriendly. At best, they'll dismiss it as a foreign oddity. At worst, you will permanently damage your professional relationship.
I'm lucky that Korea has a pretty high number of Buddhists and therefore at least a passing acceptance of vegetarianism, if not a clear understanding of what that always entails (and I admit my eating seafood is not helpful to future foreign vegetarians... sorry guys!) Still, I offend people by not eating meat, but it's just a few. For example, after one semester at my school, they hired a new nutritionist. I had been eating in the school cafeteria (a MUST DO for foreign teachers in Korea if you want to make nice with your co-workers), but the new nutritionist LOVES meat. Seriously, the woman puts meat in everything, even the rice. I was only eating once a week, but paying for all the meals, so I finally just said I couldn't do it anymore. It was ok because I'd already established myself at the school, but I can see hostility/resentment/confusion/curiosity about my absence from the cafeteria in newer teachers to the school. It does not send a positive message.
Most Koreans are overwhelmingly accommodating of my food limitations (and sensitive to the preferences/limitations of other foreigners--especially spicy food because they firmly believe foreigners cannot eat spicy food) because Koreans love food (really!) and want you to love their food, too. Hopefully your bosses and other people who have a serious influence on your life in Korea are going to be understanding. I really recommend not refusing anything for the first couple months, even if you don't eat it. Fake it. Eat the rice, but pick at everything else. Take it home and toss it out there. Accept a new food, but don't take a bite until later when you can confirm what's in it (Korean teachers do this all the time, so I assume it's ok).
If you have life threatening allergies, you can try to explain this to the teacher/co-worker who speaks the best English, but food allergies are not all that common here (even Koreans with an allergy to alcohol--which is a common allergy in Asians--will consume it and just deal with the bright red, blotchy face they get as a result). It's possible they won't really understand. I'm not saying eat a food that will send you to the hospital, but I am saying that you might have to work double time to repair cultural bridges.
Are there a lot of spiders in South Korea?
What an odd question. But I guess now that it's summer, I'm seeing more of all kinds of life here, including spiders.
I encounter spiders in Korea at about the same rate I encountered them in the U.S. (I lived near Washington, DC). There are very few in my house (because I have cats). There are more in the countryside and mountains than there are in the cities. Some have very pretty colors. Most are tiny and harmless. Spiders are called Keo-mi (거미) in Korean. Beyond that, I know nothing.
Keep the questions coming, guys.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Break Time!
Min Gi likes to watch TV. I prefer to read or mess around (even occasionally write) on the computer. Sometimes in the evening, we will spend a few hours each doing our own thing--him in the living room, me in the bedroom.
Well... every 30 minutes or so, Min Gi will pop into the bedroom and shout "Break Time!"
Apparently break time means dancing for 2-5 minutes. Or attacking the kitties together. Or kissing.
Being married rocks.
Hey, everybody: BREAK TIME!
Well... every 30 minutes or so, Min Gi will pop into the bedroom and shout "Break Time!"
Apparently break time means dancing for 2-5 minutes. Or attacking the kitties together. Or kissing.
Being married rocks.
Hey, everybody: BREAK TIME!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
What You Missed in May
As I said in my last post, I've been failing to blog much this month. I've been on two road trips with Min Gi, which I plan to post about each separately over the next couple days, but also other stuff's been going on while I was preparing all these papers and dealing with Min Gi's injured back...
--After a night in the hospital, Min Gi took about two weeks to recover. This was the hardest part of our married life to date (although not nearly so trying as my two-week long hospitalization and several month recovery of last year). It's harder on us if Min Gi is sick because he is the natural extrovert. Usually he deals with this by going out with his friends a couple nights a week, but during this time he was pretty confined to the house with me (introverted me who works at an extrovert's job and needs my downtime) as his only social outlet. Also, paying for the hospital bill made us deal with the fact that we haven't yet fully combined our resources (we're kind of waiting until the U.S. to do this for several reasons) which made us have our first two money fights--ew! Thankfully, we've figured out that we were fighting mostly because each of us thought the other needed money and we were worried because we each only have enough for ourselves until America. However, as he now fondly declares, his "back is back!"
Look--I'm a real 아줌마 now--I've made cucumber kimchi (오이 소박이)!
--I continue learning new Korean recipes. And now, I've made my first kimchi! I followed this recipe, mostly (I like fresher kimchi, so I only let it sit out for two hours and I used 4 large cucumbers cut into quarters, instead of 10 small pickling ones), with some help from online youtube videos.
--We took the cats to the vet for their rabies vaccine as part of the preparation for their journey to America. Saja was fine, but Princess took quite ill from the stress and the shot and threw up for three hours, even some blood during the last bit. We were very worried, but she turned out just fine.
Cousin waves from Gomo's headquarters in Sangju
--It's election season. Everywhere we look, there are women dancing on cars with loudspeakers blaring the virtues of their particular candidate. Min Gi and I took a trip to visit Gomo, who is running for office in the small town of Sangju, to offer our support.
--All the stress from stuff this month has made me go WAAAAY off my health goals, but I'm finding my way back. My new thing is being a vegan every other day. So far, I like it.
--Julian, who took our wedding photos at the temple, sent us his photos from the wedding and the party that followed. Check out the album, if you like:
--After a night in the hospital, Min Gi took about two weeks to recover. This was the hardest part of our married life to date (although not nearly so trying as my two-week long hospitalization and several month recovery of last year). It's harder on us if Min Gi is sick because he is the natural extrovert. Usually he deals with this by going out with his friends a couple nights a week, but during this time he was pretty confined to the house with me (introverted me who works at an extrovert's job and needs my downtime) as his only social outlet. Also, paying for the hospital bill made us deal with the fact that we haven't yet fully combined our resources (we're kind of waiting until the U.S. to do this for several reasons) which made us have our first two money fights--ew! Thankfully, we've figured out that we were fighting mostly because each of us thought the other needed money and we were worried because we each only have enough for ourselves until America. However, as he now fondly declares, his "back is back!"
--I continue learning new Korean recipes. And now, I've made my first kimchi! I followed this recipe, mostly (I like fresher kimchi, so I only let it sit out for two hours and I used 4 large cucumbers cut into quarters, instead of 10 small pickling ones), with some help from online youtube videos.
--We took the cats to the vet for their rabies vaccine as part of the preparation for their journey to America. Saja was fine, but Princess took quite ill from the stress and the shot and threw up for three hours, even some blood during the last bit. We were very worried, but she turned out just fine.
--It's election season. Everywhere we look, there are women dancing on cars with loudspeakers blaring the virtues of their particular candidate. Min Gi and I took a trip to visit Gomo, who is running for office in the small town of Sangju, to offer our support.
--All the stress from stuff this month has made me go WAAAAY off my health goals, but I'm finding my way back. My new thing is being a vegan every other day. So far, I like it.
--Julian, who took our wedding photos at the temple, sent us his photos from the wedding and the party that followed. Check out the album, if you like:
 |
| Wedding Ceremony & Party at Asurajang (Julian) |
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Spring Weather... finally (Sunday Health #4)
Happy Easter (in of course an entirely secular chocolate-hoarding bunny rabbit kind of way--or a Christian way if you dig that)!
Well after recovering from my cold last week, I'm starting to get back into my good habits. I'm down another kilo, putting me at 79 (that's about 174 lbs), which I'm very happy with. Especially because I had a really bad day on Thursday health wise (skipping taekwondo to stay home an order a pan pizza and drink Coke Zero... not smart).
However, I think that it will just get easier to maintain my good health habits now that the weather in Korea is starting to resemble spring. It's been so cold throughout all of March (with a snowstorm to kick off the month) and raining a lot in the last two weeks, but the last few days have been bright and sunny. Still a bit chilly, but the flowers are starting to bloom on the trees and we've been able to open up the windows during the day, which the kitties love.
What's amazing about this whole focus on the important things only that I've been doing lately, I've been really productive with my writing, reading, and teaching. You may have noticed my blogging productivity increasing (including beginning a new blog), but I've also been polishing old stories and sending them out to various publications as well as taking on some new writing projects that I will announce on this blog when they near completion. Anyhow, it feels really good. I just decided that rather than talk and dream about being a writer, I've got to just do it. And so, I am! It's awesome.
I'm going to continue to focus on all my health habits established so far and add one new one (because Min Gi got me a pedometer for my birthday two weeks ago). Let me re-state the goals/habits I'm establishing so far:
Slowly, these things are becoming habits. When they become regular parts of my week, I will add more. It's definitely improving my energy levels. And I've had no problems with the UC. Rock on, Diana!
Well after recovering from my cold last week, I'm starting to get back into my good habits. I'm down another kilo, putting me at 79 (that's about 174 lbs), which I'm very happy with. Especially because I had a really bad day on Thursday health wise (skipping taekwondo to stay home an order a pan pizza and drink Coke Zero... not smart).
However, I think that it will just get easier to maintain my good health habits now that the weather in Korea is starting to resemble spring. It's been so cold throughout all of March (with a snowstorm to kick off the month) and raining a lot in the last two weeks, but the last few days have been bright and sunny. Still a bit chilly, but the flowers are starting to bloom on the trees and we've been able to open up the windows during the day, which the kitties love.
What's amazing about this whole focus on the important things only that I've been doing lately, I've been really productive with my writing, reading, and teaching. You may have noticed my blogging productivity increasing (including beginning a new blog), but I've also been polishing old stories and sending them out to various publications as well as taking on some new writing projects that I will announce on this blog when they near completion. Anyhow, it feels really good. I just decided that rather than talk and dream about being a writer, I've got to just do it. And so, I am! It's awesome.
I'm going to continue to focus on all my health habits established so far and add one new one (because Min Gi got me a pedometer for my birthday two weeks ago). Let me re-state the goals/habits I'm establishing so far:
1) Giving up soda and replacing it with a cup or two of green tea in the morning
2) Eating food outside the home rarely
3) Resuming nightly taekwondo
4) Tracking my weight weekly
5) Keep a food journal
6) eat mindfully
7) Getting enough sleep every night
8) Spend as much time as possible pursuing my five passions and cutting out everything else
9) Clean, organize, and trim my possessions down to less STUFF getting in the way
10) (New one) Get at least 8,000 steps in every day (my average this week was about 7,000, so this seems reasonable)
Slowly, these things are becoming habits. When they become regular parts of my week, I will add more. It's definitely improving my energy levels. And I've had no problems with the UC. Rock on, Diana!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Goodbye Single Life...
Min Gi moved the last of his things into my place (our place... I'll work on this, I swear) last night.
Don't get me wrong, he's had most of his stuff here since September and spends about half his nights here, even though the majority of his clothes were at his old place that is much closer to his office job... so it's not like I don't know what it's like to spend a lot of time with him.
It's just that... since we're getting married in a few (less than seven) weeks this means I'll never have my own place again (barring something horrible happening). I'm having some ambivalence about this gaining of a life partner, loss of independence thing.
I'm really excited to be starting our life together, and I love living with a man who does the dishes and cleans the floor as part of his "daily exercise" (I cook and do the laundry--lucky me, the chores I actually enjoy doing!). However, I've lived alone since November 2006 (good lord I loved that first solo apartment) and sharing a place with someone... well, it changes your lifestyle. Dramatically.
For me, it's mostly good things. I go to bed when I say I'm going to bed because I'm actually accountable to keep my word. Ditto for keeping schedules and exercise habits. I don't eat as much junk food because I love cooking for Min Gi (he likes everything I make, even though it doesn't have meat... and again, does the dishes!), and because of that accountability thing (it's harder to sneak off and buy a chocolate bar from the store if someone is asking where you're going as you put on your shoes). And the fact that there's a much greater chance of someone being home to cuddle (etc.) when you need it besides the kitties!
However, some things I miss. Korean news is on every morning now when I come home from AM yoga, which kind of disrupts the peace. Sometimes, I buy things to eat (or plan to eat things I cooked last night for lunch) and when I come home, they're gone. I have to pick up after myself more (it's kind of rude to just let stuff accumulate in corners when other folks live there). He sees me on "ugly days," which I've been having a lot of lately because of the medications (I could just make the effort to not have "ugly days" I suppose, but I don't know if that would be good for my sanity), which I don't like. Min Gi still leaves the toilet seat up about 50% of the time, and (I have no idea how) manages to coat the entire bathroom floor in water every time he uses it. I'm an introvert and my love is an extrovert--good lord he needs to talk--a lot (although, if I must be honest, I love hearing what he has to say at least 95% of the time, which is pretty awesome).
So today, I'm just taking a moment to say goodbye to those single girl, solo-apartment behaviors I've come to love (well, at least be comfortable with) over the last three years (almost to the day--eerie). Will I miss my peace and solitude? Sure. Sometimes.
But what I'm getting in return--cannot be compared. I really am the luckiest girl ever--to have found a man who thinks he's the luckiest boy ever.
Don't get me wrong, he's had most of his stuff here since September and spends about half his nights here, even though the majority of his clothes were at his old place that is much closer to his office job... so it's not like I don't know what it's like to spend a lot of time with him.
It's just that... since we're getting married in a few (less than seven) weeks this means I'll never have my own place again (barring something horrible happening). I'm having some ambivalence about this gaining of a life partner, loss of independence thing.
I'm really excited to be starting our life together, and I love living with a man who does the dishes and cleans the floor as part of his "daily exercise" (I cook and do the laundry--lucky me, the chores I actually enjoy doing!). However, I've lived alone since November 2006 (good lord I loved that first solo apartment) and sharing a place with someone... well, it changes your lifestyle. Dramatically.
For me, it's mostly good things. I go to bed when I say I'm going to bed because I'm actually accountable to keep my word. Ditto for keeping schedules and exercise habits. I don't eat as much junk food because I love cooking for Min Gi (he likes everything I make, even though it doesn't have meat... and again, does the dishes!), and because of that accountability thing (it's harder to sneak off and buy a chocolate bar from the store if someone is asking where you're going as you put on your shoes). And the fact that there's a much greater chance of someone being home to cuddle (etc.) when you need it besides the kitties!
However, some things I miss. Korean news is on every morning now when I come home from AM yoga, which kind of disrupts the peace. Sometimes, I buy things to eat (or plan to eat things I cooked last night for lunch) and when I come home, they're gone. I have to pick up after myself more (it's kind of rude to just let stuff accumulate in corners when other folks live there). He sees me on "ugly days," which I've been having a lot of lately because of the medications (I could just make the effort to not have "ugly days" I suppose, but I don't know if that would be good for my sanity), which I don't like. Min Gi still leaves the toilet seat up about 50% of the time, and (I have no idea how) manages to coat the entire bathroom floor in water every time he uses it. I'm an introvert and my love is an extrovert--good lord he needs to talk--a lot (although, if I must be honest, I love hearing what he has to say at least 95% of the time, which is pretty awesome).
So today, I'm just taking a moment to say goodbye to those single girl, solo-apartment behaviors I've come to love (well, at least be comfortable with) over the last three years (almost to the day--eerie). Will I miss my peace and solitude? Sure. Sometimes.
But what I'm getting in return--cannot be compared. I really am the luckiest girl ever--to have found a man who thinks he's the luckiest boy ever.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
New Apartment!!!
Ok, so I mentioned last week that I have moved into the future love-nest of Min Gi and I (he's moving in more slowly--for example, his car, computer, and some of his decorations live here, but not his clothes yet; he wants to ease his mom off of having to do his laundry). It's a two-bedroom apartment near my school. Ok, actually it's just across the road from my school, like about one minute from my front door to my office. This has distinct advantages in terms of convenience, but if you recall that TFLHS is a boarding school, this does lead to some awkward moments coming back from my early yoga class and whatnot.
Anyhow, I love this apartment. I love the layout and the landlord and the size and everything! Inspired by Danielle, I have decided to give you a video tour. I have learned I'm not cut out for video blogging, but whatever. Enjoy:
Anyhow, I love this apartment. I love the layout and the landlord and the size and everything! Inspired by Danielle, I have decided to give you a video tour. I have learned I'm not cut out for video blogging, but whatever. Enjoy:
Monday, August 31, 2009
Namsan Area of Gyeongju
Our first Sunday back from America, Min Gi and I decided to take advantage of our jet lag and go hiking. I proposed that we head off to Palgongsan, but Min Gi smartly suggested that we go to Gyeongju, where the kitties were "couchsurfing" with our friend Hayoung, and then collect the animals after we finished. I have been to the ancient Silla capital, Gyeongju, several times, and I love it. It's a very beautiful, historic city with two UNESCO World Heritage sites!
The Namsan area is a small mountain range to the south of Gyeongju with many Buddhist carvings and temples still intact from the time when it was the capital. Namsan, in conjunction with the downtown historic sites, is a designated UNESCO site.
One of the things that always strikes me about visiting temples and mountain historic sites in Asia is the fact that these ancient shrines are active, living places where people worship. They aren't just some old relics for tourists to look around. I always see people praying before the statues and hear monks chanting up in the mountain temples. I avoid photographing people engaged in active worship because it feels a little too voyeuristic for me, but it is so interesting to live in a culture where the ancient is so present in modern day. I guess growing up in America makes you feel rather disconnected from the idea that religion is both ancient and modern--something a large number of congregations in America could benefit from remembering before they use all the tithes to build a snazzy new church instead of provide homeless assistance or start a food bank...
All in all, Namsan was very scenic. The vegetation was some of the most varied I've seen on a single Korean mountain (from the twisty old forests above to pine trees to bamboo to a brilliantly green canopy). The idea of it being a "museum without walls" is both accurate and incomplete. And for someone now out of shape from failing to hike for awhile, it's a pretty tough hike. (Really, I'd rate it about medium for Korea--along the lines of Gatbawi--but like I said, I'm out of shape for hiking right now.) I was about to die at the end of it.
I got lucky with the weather, which made for some gorgeous photography. Check out the full album:
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| Gyeongju's Namsan Area (경주 남산) |
Friday, July 3, 2009
YouTube and Talking to Birds
Well... I tried to include a small video of my kitties being silly onto YouTube for use in the blog when I was confronted by this evil message:
"본인확인제로 인해 한국 국가 설정시 동영상/댓글 업로드 기능을 자발적으로 비활성화합니다.
We have voluntarily disabled this functionality on kr.youtube.com because of the Korean real-name verification law."
Holy crap! You see last year, in response to the suicide of actress Choi Jin-sil, the South Korean government thought that cracking down on netizens ("net-citizens") who left cruel comments about her that supposedly pushed her over the edge would prevent suicide. (Because of course mean comments are the LEADING cause of suicide--not mental health problems and health care accessibility, no...). They thought people would be less inclined to be net bullies if they have to sign their real name to their comments. So they passed a real-name verification law.
Anyhow... I seem to be able to get around it by setting my location to "Worldwide" instead of "South Korea"
So I bring you Princess, talking to the birds:
Perhaps she is trying to learn Korean, and got confused...
"본인확인제로 인해 한국 국가 설정시 동영상/댓글 업로드 기능을 자발적으로 비활성화합니다.
We have voluntarily disabled this functionality on kr.youtube.com because of the Korean real-name verification law."
Holy crap! You see last year, in response to the suicide of actress Choi Jin-sil, the South Korean government thought that cracking down on netizens ("net-citizens") who left cruel comments about her that supposedly pushed her over the edge would prevent suicide. (Because of course mean comments are the LEADING cause of suicide--not mental health problems and health care accessibility, no...). They thought people would be less inclined to be net bullies if they have to sign their real name to their comments. So they passed a real-name verification law.
Anyhow... I seem to be able to get around it by setting my location to "Worldwide" instead of "South Korea"
So I bring you Princess, talking to the birds:
Perhaps she is trying to learn Korean, and got confused...
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Re-signing (Resigning?)
Friday afternoon, there was a meeting for Daegu's EPIK teachers who planned to renew for 2009-2010 to review the terms of our new contracts and allow us to sign for next year. They called it the "Resigning Meeting." A wonder no one caught the irony.
I actually really like the new contract--it's well-designed. The government has decided to replace airfare (and airfare reimbursement) with a set amount of money (1,300,000 won for a one-way and 2,000,000 for a round trip). Also, you don't have to use it for airfare, you can use it for whatever you want. This is wonderful for people like me who don't mind shopping around a little for a good airfare bargain. Heck if this contract had been my current contract my ticket AND most of Min Gi's for the trip to America (less than four weeks away!!!!) would be paid for. As it stands, I'll get reimbursed for my ticket--still not a terrible deal.
We're also getting more vacation days (10 in winter and 8 in summer), which is super, a raise of 100,000 won/month (not nearly enough to take the edge off the flailing won value, but still nice), and they're changing the end date of the contract to August 25 (which is great for me 'cause next year I'll be looking for U.S. jobs and will have to leave as early in August as I can).
Although I ran into a few lovely people who also work in the Daegu Public Schools as native speaker English teachers who I rarely see, but enjoy talking with, there were enough loud, rude, obnoxious, and thick people to make me cringe, thinking, And this is what some Koreans think Americans (Canadians, Australians, Kiwis, South Africans, Brits, Irish) are like?
I've said before that since Korea is so homogeneous, I often feel like a defacto ambassador for all of western culture. I'm often the only or one of a few foreigners my friends, acquaintances, and random strangers on the street have regular, personal interactions with. Not that it's right, but I do feel like the impression I leave might be how that person judges all Americans, white people, westerners, or western women. It can be a lot of pressure.
Apparently some of my "colleagues" (oh lord do I cringe calling some of those people that--I'm a professional educator and very few other foreign teachers in Korea, even good teachers, are that, though some do BECOME it while they are here) do not feel such self-imposed responsibility.
So I'll be here for one more year. And I feel a little strange. I know for a fact that were it not for Min Gi and our plans to get married in January (January 9, everybody, this is your official "save the date"), I would be elsewhere at the end of this contract.
You see, I love Korea. Even without my relationship, I would probably consider coming back here again. The lifestyle of an expat is quite comfortable and fun. However, I want to try some other countries before I settle down anywhere for a long time. I've gotten bit with the expat living bug, but I think I'd enjoy expat life in many different places. With my credentials and experience, I could easily hop on the international school circuit and spend the rest of my professional life country hopping every 2-3 years. I'd be thrilled with this.
However, there are two obstacles to this plan now. One: Min Gi and I would like to have children together one day. That means it would be in their best interest to stay in one country for long periods of time. However, he has agreed (and is excited about) living with me in at least one more country before we settle down anywhere. This makes him AWESOME. So in the short term, this actually is no obstacle at all.
Two: With Dad's health issues, I want to spend some time with my family while we're still all relatively healthy. I don't really have a desire to live in the U.S. again long term (I think it would be boring and I'd feel like I was stagnating, though there are DEFINITELY some things I miss). Missing family and friends is the hardest thing about living abroad, and right now, with what's going on back home, I think it's very important that I make this a priority for at least a year. The bonus to this is that I've learned so much about Korea while living here, that it helps me understand and appreciate Min Gi more (especially in the ways he's managed to overcome his cultural limitations--impressive in a person who has not traveled much). I'm hoping that spending a year or two in America does the same for him.
This will be my last year in Korea for at least another 3 or 4--wow. It'll be much harder to write about this at this time next year when I'm really leaving.
For now, I'm excited about hopping on the plane July 25 for three and half weeks of American fun! Now, if I could just find someone who would watch my cats for me during that time...
I actually really like the new contract--it's well-designed. The government has decided to replace airfare (and airfare reimbursement) with a set amount of money (1,300,000 won for a one-way and 2,000,000 for a round trip). Also, you don't have to use it for airfare, you can use it for whatever you want. This is wonderful for people like me who don't mind shopping around a little for a good airfare bargain. Heck if this contract had been my current contract my ticket AND most of Min Gi's for the trip to America (less than four weeks away!!!!) would be paid for. As it stands, I'll get reimbursed for my ticket--still not a terrible deal.
We're also getting more vacation days (10 in winter and 8 in summer), which is super, a raise of 100,000 won/month (not nearly enough to take the edge off the flailing won value, but still nice), and they're changing the end date of the contract to August 25 (which is great for me 'cause next year I'll be looking for U.S. jobs and will have to leave as early in August as I can).
Although I ran into a few lovely people who also work in the Daegu Public Schools as native speaker English teachers who I rarely see, but enjoy talking with, there were enough loud, rude, obnoxious, and thick people to make me cringe, thinking, And this is what some Koreans think Americans (Canadians, Australians, Kiwis, South Africans, Brits, Irish) are like?
I've said before that since Korea is so homogeneous, I often feel like a defacto ambassador for all of western culture. I'm often the only or one of a few foreigners my friends, acquaintances, and random strangers on the street have regular, personal interactions with. Not that it's right, but I do feel like the impression I leave might be how that person judges all Americans, white people, westerners, or western women. It can be a lot of pressure.
Apparently some of my "colleagues" (oh lord do I cringe calling some of those people that--I'm a professional educator and very few other foreign teachers in Korea, even good teachers, are that, though some do BECOME it while they are here) do not feel such self-imposed responsibility.
So I'll be here for one more year. And I feel a little strange. I know for a fact that were it not for Min Gi and our plans to get married in January (January 9, everybody, this is your official "save the date"), I would be elsewhere at the end of this contract.
You see, I love Korea. Even without my relationship, I would probably consider coming back here again. The lifestyle of an expat is quite comfortable and fun. However, I want to try some other countries before I settle down anywhere for a long time. I've gotten bit with the expat living bug, but I think I'd enjoy expat life in many different places. With my credentials and experience, I could easily hop on the international school circuit and spend the rest of my professional life country hopping every 2-3 years. I'd be thrilled with this.
However, there are two obstacles to this plan now. One: Min Gi and I would like to have children together one day. That means it would be in their best interest to stay in one country for long periods of time. However, he has agreed (and is excited about) living with me in at least one more country before we settle down anywhere. This makes him AWESOME. So in the short term, this actually is no obstacle at all.
Two: With Dad's health issues, I want to spend some time with my family while we're still all relatively healthy. I don't really have a desire to live in the U.S. again long term (I think it would be boring and I'd feel like I was stagnating, though there are DEFINITELY some things I miss). Missing family and friends is the hardest thing about living abroad, and right now, with what's going on back home, I think it's very important that I make this a priority for at least a year. The bonus to this is that I've learned so much about Korea while living here, that it helps me understand and appreciate Min Gi more (especially in the ways he's managed to overcome his cultural limitations--impressive in a person who has not traveled much). I'm hoping that spending a year or two in America does the same for him.
This will be my last year in Korea for at least another 3 or 4--wow. It'll be much harder to write about this at this time next year when I'm really leaving.
For now, I'm excited about hopping on the plane July 25 for three and half weeks of American fun! Now, if I could just find someone who would watch my cats for me during that time...
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Memories.
Monday evening.
"Oh," says my friend Hee Jeong as we're getting ready to depart from The Coffee Bean (which I've learned has a fine selection of teas--yay to my non-dairy-consuming self) and go our separate ways. "What are you and your boyfriend doing tomorrow?"
"No plans yet."
"Do you want these tickets to see Cats? I got them from work, but I can't go."
"Sure! Where's the show?"
"Daegu Opera House. At 2 p.m." She hands me two tickets with the value of 100,000 won printed on each.
"Oh my. Are you sure you don't want them?" She assures me that she does not and tells me the seat is not yet assigned, so I'll have to present them at the box office. "Thank you so very much!"
And just like that my Children's Day holiday is planned.
***
The seats ended up being AMAZING. We were off to the left of the stage... in the FRONT ROW (Ok, sort of the front row. There was a section for VIPs in front of us that had three rows, but we had the leg room and entering/exiting actors passing by us that accompanies the front row!). I was all jittery and excited. I haven't been to live theater very often in Korea; it's always been one of my favorite things to do.
The whole thing was in Korean, so it's lucky I already knew this musical so well from my Broadway obsession in middle and high school. The dancers were amazing, and the singing beautiful. Sometimes when Korea takes another culture's art form, it focuses too much on the technical execution of it and not enough on the soul and power of the art, but in this case it worked alright because Cats doesn't have much of a plot. The only thing I was disappointed with was the lack of a live orchestra. Other than that, it was a perfect way to spend the afternoon.
Min Gi said it was his first time in the Opera House. He was excited also, but for different reasons. Sometimes I wonder at how different our lives were growing up. Three decades ago in Korea is almost as distant a place as you can get from two decades ago in the suburbs of DC. Min Gi's country had only just pulled themselves out of war-starved poverty when he was born, and didn't become a dominant economic power until he was in middle or high school. Going to the theater wasn't just an option his family chose not to partake of--it wasn't possible. Whereas by high school, I had seen numerous productions at the Kennedy Center, Folger Shakespeare Library, and others. Hell, I was so in love with theater that at that time in my life I planned to be a professional stage designer.
Sometimes I think about how frivolous my life has been and feel guilty about it. That somehow all the power and privilege I was born to--being from an upper-middle class home, the daughter of two highly educated scientists, white, American--would have been wasted less on someone like Min Gi. Someone who would have appreciated it more as it was happening, who would have done something with it.
But then I think that the whole reason my parents worked as hard as they did (and their parents before them and so on) was to build a life (hell, to build a country) where I could lead a life of frivolity because I was finally free to choose whatever it is that I wanted to do. Even so, it wasn't until recently that I came to appreciate just how free I am. My parents didn't want me to become an artist (and in the end I didn't... although who knows whether this writing thing will pan out now that I have the time to devote to it). They wanted me to be a scientist. But in the end, they supported my decision, whatever it was.
And then I start to wonder if in the end, maybe Min Gi and I didn't grow up so differently after all. He has the mind and soul of an artist or a philosopher, but was never given the support to pursue that side of himself. Instead, he was encouraged to pursue the route of practicality and financial stability. Now he's floundering between who he should have been in his culture's eyes and who he should have been by his nature.
I love him for this, even though he sees it as a weakness. Perhaps he'll learn, as I did, to be comfortable and proud of who he is when he gets to see the way other countries operate. Maybe he won't feel so pressured by a society that tells him that at 35, he's a loser for not being married, with two kids, in a stable company job that works him 80 hours/week. Maybe not, but I really hope so.
I don't know the Korean verses, but I sure as hell have this soundtrack playing through my head this evening:
"Oh," says my friend Hee Jeong as we're getting ready to depart from The Coffee Bean (which I've learned has a fine selection of teas--yay to my non-dairy-consuming self) and go our separate ways. "What are you and your boyfriend doing tomorrow?"
"No plans yet."
"Do you want these tickets to see Cats? I got them from work, but I can't go."
"Sure! Where's the show?"
"Daegu Opera House. At 2 p.m." She hands me two tickets with the value of 100,000 won printed on each.
"Oh my. Are you sure you don't want them?" She assures me that she does not and tells me the seat is not yet assigned, so I'll have to present them at the box office. "Thank you so very much!"
And just like that my Children's Day holiday is planned.
***
The seats ended up being AMAZING. We were off to the left of the stage... in the FRONT ROW (Ok, sort of the front row. There was a section for VIPs in front of us that had three rows, but we had the leg room and entering/exiting actors passing by us that accompanies the front row!). I was all jittery and excited. I haven't been to live theater very often in Korea; it's always been one of my favorite things to do.
The whole thing was in Korean, so it's lucky I already knew this musical so well from my Broadway obsession in middle and high school. The dancers were amazing, and the singing beautiful. Sometimes when Korea takes another culture's art form, it focuses too much on the technical execution of it and not enough on the soul and power of the art, but in this case it worked alright because Cats doesn't have much of a plot. The only thing I was disappointed with was the lack of a live orchestra. Other than that, it was a perfect way to spend the afternoon.
Min Gi said it was his first time in the Opera House. He was excited also, but for different reasons. Sometimes I wonder at how different our lives were growing up. Three decades ago in Korea is almost as distant a place as you can get from two decades ago in the suburbs of DC. Min Gi's country had only just pulled themselves out of war-starved poverty when he was born, and didn't become a dominant economic power until he was in middle or high school. Going to the theater wasn't just an option his family chose not to partake of--it wasn't possible. Whereas by high school, I had seen numerous productions at the Kennedy Center, Folger Shakespeare Library, and others. Hell, I was so in love with theater that at that time in my life I planned to be a professional stage designer.
Sometimes I think about how frivolous my life has been and feel guilty about it. That somehow all the power and privilege I was born to--being from an upper-middle class home, the daughter of two highly educated scientists, white, American--would have been wasted less on someone like Min Gi. Someone who would have appreciated it more as it was happening, who would have done something with it.
But then I think that the whole reason my parents worked as hard as they did (and their parents before them and so on) was to build a life (hell, to build a country) where I could lead a life of frivolity because I was finally free to choose whatever it is that I wanted to do. Even so, it wasn't until recently that I came to appreciate just how free I am. My parents didn't want me to become an artist (and in the end I didn't... although who knows whether this writing thing will pan out now that I have the time to devote to it). They wanted me to be a scientist. But in the end, they supported my decision, whatever it was.
And then I start to wonder if in the end, maybe Min Gi and I didn't grow up so differently after all. He has the mind and soul of an artist or a philosopher, but was never given the support to pursue that side of himself. Instead, he was encouraged to pursue the route of practicality and financial stability. Now he's floundering between who he should have been in his culture's eyes and who he should have been by his nature.
I love him for this, even though he sees it as a weakness. Perhaps he'll learn, as I did, to be comfortable and proud of who he is when he gets to see the way other countries operate. Maybe he won't feel so pressured by a society that tells him that at 35, he's a loser for not being married, with two kids, in a stable company job that works him 80 hours/week. Maybe not, but I really hope so.
I don't know the Korean verses, but I sure as hell have this soundtrack playing through my head this evening:
Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise.
I must think of a new life,
And I mustn't give in.
When the dawn comes tonight will be a memory too,
And a new day will begin.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Geojedo Road Trip!
This weekend I have four days in a row off from school. Originally, Min Gi and I were going to go to Japan, but my money for that went to Saja's vet bills, so we decided to go to Korea's second largest island, Geoje (거제도 or Koje), which is accessible by car through two bridges from the small tourist town of Tongyeong (통영) or Masan (마산).
Usually, I'd plan this stuff out myself, but having been a little preoccupied the last few weeks, Min Gi took charge. Not only did he plan the whole trip, he even borrowed his brother's navigation system (a useful tool when road-tripping in unfamiliar territory) and bought snacks at HomePlus (the poor boy bought some of my favorite snacks that are now verboten, thanks to my lovely medical condition... poo to that!)
We left early Friday afternoon, thanks to finals at my school and a labor holiday at Min Gi's office job. After some minor detours, the navi system successfully got us to Geoje's Black Pearl Pebble Beach (학동 흑진주 몽돌해변/학동몽돌해수육장), a beautiful little tourist spot to spend the evening.
Here we are at the beach, happy as clams. Well maybe not the clams available for consumption. They wouldn't be so happy...
We wandered up and down the beach a bit, giddy on the ocean breeze and beautiful shorelines of Geoje. Min Gi asked some of the motels and min baks (민박) for their prices and also about how to get to our destination for the next day (next post!). Since it was a holiday weekend and beach front area, finding reasonable accommodation was no easy task, but eventually Min Gi found a cheap little room at a small min bak off the beaten path, but still less than a five minute walk to the beach for 30,000 won. Not the greatest of facilities, but it was reasonably clean and less than half of the cost at the other places we'd been quoted.
Down the beach, we found some washed up starfish. They looked so sad.
On our walk back to the car to move our stuff to the min bak, we saw some tourists setting off fireworks.
Turns out Min Gi is quite the talented travel planner! He even looked up what the food specialty was for Geoje. See, each town in Korea has some kind of food specialty (Daegu's is apples... go figure). The island of Geoje is famous for Meongge Bibimbab (멍게비빔밥). I've had bibimbap lots of times. It's a delicious vegetable and mixed rice dish with some spicy hot pepper sauce, so I asked Min Gi what Meongge was; at first, he translated it as some kind of crab (which has the 게 sound in it, so I thought that sounded fine to me). After we ordered it, I suddenly realized I hadn't seen any crabs in the tanks. What I had seen was lots and lots of this ugly red thing from the sea that looks so unappetizing it needs a whole other category. So I asked him if the red things were Meongge. He confirmed this, and we looked it up in his handphone dictionary. Sea squirts. I'm about to eat raw sea squirts.
Sea Squirts (멍게) in a tank, waiting to be eaten.
Since we'd already ordered, I decided to buck up and be a good sport. In all honesty, the food was delicious. The bibimbap had apples in it and the spicy sauce tasted like the kind Koreans use with other raw fish. I just couldn't get over the fact that I was eating those creatures pictured above. So I could only finish half my bowl. Min Gi happily finished my other half, of course, and I snacked on some crackers later when I got hungry again.
We woke up very early the next morning, donned our cowboy (Min Gi) and communist (me) hats, and set out for the ferry harbor that would take us to our next destination. We ended up being too early for the ferry (Min Gi had looked up the times, but they were the summer times), so we wandered around a little in the harbor.
These cuties were in a dilapidated house and their mom was in an old broken down bathroom. I wanted to kidnap them all.
Check out all of our Geoje photos:
And get ready for the next installment, featuring an island paradise off the southern coast of Korea...
Usually, I'd plan this stuff out myself, but having been a little preoccupied the last few weeks, Min Gi took charge. Not only did he plan the whole trip, he even borrowed his brother's navigation system (a useful tool when road-tripping in unfamiliar territory) and bought snacks at HomePlus (the poor boy bought some of my favorite snacks that are now verboten, thanks to my lovely medical condition... poo to that!)
We left early Friday afternoon, thanks to finals at my school and a labor holiday at Min Gi's office job. After some minor detours, the navi system successfully got us to Geoje's Black Pearl Pebble Beach (학동 흑진주 몽돌해변/학동몽돌해수육장), a beautiful little tourist spot to spend the evening.
We wandered up and down the beach a bit, giddy on the ocean breeze and beautiful shorelines of Geoje. Min Gi asked some of the motels and min baks (민박) for their prices and also about how to get to our destination for the next day (next post!). Since it was a holiday weekend and beach front area, finding reasonable accommodation was no easy task, but eventually Min Gi found a cheap little room at a small min bak off the beaten path, but still less than a five minute walk to the beach for 30,000 won. Not the greatest of facilities, but it was reasonably clean and less than half of the cost at the other places we'd been quoted.
Turns out Min Gi is quite the talented travel planner! He even looked up what the food specialty was for Geoje. See, each town in Korea has some kind of food specialty (Daegu's is apples... go figure). The island of Geoje is famous for Meongge Bibimbab (멍게비빔밥). I've had bibimbap lots of times. It's a delicious vegetable and mixed rice dish with some spicy hot pepper sauce, so I asked Min Gi what Meongge was; at first, he translated it as some kind of crab (which has the 게 sound in it, so I thought that sounded fine to me). After we ordered it, I suddenly realized I hadn't seen any crabs in the tanks. What I had seen was lots and lots of this ugly red thing from the sea that looks so unappetizing it needs a whole other category. So I asked him if the red things were Meongge. He confirmed this, and we looked it up in his handphone dictionary. Sea squirts. I'm about to eat raw sea squirts.
Since we'd already ordered, I decided to buck up and be a good sport. In all honesty, the food was delicious. The bibimbap had apples in it and the spicy sauce tasted like the kind Koreans use with other raw fish. I just couldn't get over the fact that I was eating those creatures pictured above. So I could only finish half my bowl. Min Gi happily finished my other half, of course, and I snacked on some crackers later when I got hungry again.
We woke up very early the next morning, donned our cowboy (Min Gi) and communist (me) hats, and set out for the ferry harbor that would take us to our next destination. We ended up being too early for the ferry (Min Gi had looked up the times, but they were the summer times), so we wandered around a little in the harbor.
Check out all of our Geoje photos:
 |
| Geojedo |
And get ready for the next installment, featuring an island paradise off the southern coast of Korea...
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Cure to Homesickness.
Ingredients:
1. Amazing friends, both new and old
2. Very understanding parents
3. A loving boyfriend who, if he doesn't always understand, will at least cuddle, listen and try
4. Bad American TV
5. A physical illness to distract you from your emotional one
6. Cute kitties
7. A challenging and interesting job
8. Volunteer work
9. Swing dance and taekwondo
10. Spring weather
Directions
Make plans to visit, chat, and eat good meals with (1). Call (2) often and talk for a long time. Sometimes this might not be possible as they are also quite busy with their own lives, but make the effort. Spend time with (3), trying not to whine too much when you do. Do not take him for granted or you might spoil the dish.
Eventually (5) will happen as the stress becomes to much. Although it feels bad, it will eventually revive you. Watch a lot of (4) and cuddle with (6). When you can't sleep, throw yourself into (7) and (8) with vigor. You may feel exhausted, but eventually you'll start to feel the rewards.
Keep doing (9), even when you don't feel like it. You have a great time. Wait patiently as (10) begins to appear. Take the whole mix as often as possible for two weeks. During this time, your moods may be unpredictable, but persevere and you will reap the sweet rewards of this homemade cure.
Serves: 1.
1. Amazing friends, both new and old
2. Very understanding parents
3. A loving boyfriend who, if he doesn't always understand, will at least cuddle, listen and try
4. Bad American TV
5. A physical illness to distract you from your emotional one
6. Cute kitties
7. A challenging and interesting job
8. Volunteer work
9. Swing dance and taekwondo
10. Spring weather
Directions
Make plans to visit, chat, and eat good meals with (1). Call (2) often and talk for a long time. Sometimes this might not be possible as they are also quite busy with their own lives, but make the effort. Spend time with (3), trying not to whine too much when you do. Do not take him for granted or you might spoil the dish.
Eventually (5) will happen as the stress becomes to much. Although it feels bad, it will eventually revive you. Watch a lot of (4) and cuddle with (6). When you can't sleep, throw yourself into (7) and (8) with vigor. You may feel exhausted, but eventually you'll start to feel the rewards.
Keep doing (9), even when you don't feel like it. You have a great time. Wait patiently as (10) begins to appear. Take the whole mix as often as possible for two weeks. During this time, your moods may be unpredictable, but persevere and you will reap the sweet rewards of this homemade cure.
Serves: 1.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Holding it together?
I skipped the swing dance party that I'd really been looking forward to because it was Saja's first day back home post-operation. I enjoyed a quiet, relaxing weekend.
No, no, tell them the truth. Tell them how you were so homesick you wanted to eat at McDonalds, which you usually abhor.
Ok, ok. The weekend was a little dull. And since Dad's out of the hospital now but still needs a lot of help, I'm feeling especially guilty about not being home right now. So I did have a minor bout with the blues. But it was nothing, really.
You were fantasizing about your old apartment and job. You even looked up available housing on craigslist and other apartment listing sites. You considered calling your old boss.
Well, I've also been checking out Korean apartment listings. I think I'm just going through a real estate phase. Besides, I had a great dinner with Se Jin downtown, and we got to girl-talk in a soul-fulfilling way. I'm having a pretty good time these days.
You had a nightmare about your graduate school degree.
Fine, ok. I'm unhappy right now. Do you have to be such a bitch about it? Now I'll go eat a tub of ice cream and cry at the ending of the Harry Potter movie on TV. Is that what you want? Huh?
Sorry. Sheesh. Don't be so sensitive. The weather is improving. You were happy today when you went shopping for your teachers' class.
Maybe you're right.
Just don't check the exchange rate again for awhile... ok?
Note to readers: I'm not having a psychological break with reality. I promise. I'm just having major mood swings for no good reason at all. I'll be better soon, I promise.
No, no, tell them the truth. Tell them how you were so homesick you wanted to eat at McDonalds, which you usually abhor.
Ok, ok. The weekend was a little dull. And since Dad's out of the hospital now but still needs a lot of help, I'm feeling especially guilty about not being home right now. So I did have a minor bout with the blues. But it was nothing, really.
You were fantasizing about your old apartment and job. You even looked up available housing on craigslist and other apartment listing sites. You considered calling your old boss.
Well, I've also been checking out Korean apartment listings. I think I'm just going through a real estate phase. Besides, I had a great dinner with Se Jin downtown, and we got to girl-talk in a soul-fulfilling way. I'm having a pretty good time these days.
You had a nightmare about your graduate school degree.
Fine, ok. I'm unhappy right now. Do you have to be such a bitch about it? Now I'll go eat a tub of ice cream and cry at the ending of the Harry Potter movie on TV. Is that what you want? Huh?
Sorry. Sheesh. Don't be so sensitive. The weather is improving. You were happy today when you went shopping for your teachers' class.
Maybe you're right.
Just don't check the exchange rate again for awhile... ok?
Note to readers: I'm not having a psychological break with reality. I promise. I'm just having major mood swings for no good reason at all. I'll be better soon, I promise.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Perfume Pagoda Bus Trip
Warning: This post contains some graphic images of dead animals. The photo album has some worse ones.
After I got back from Ha Long Bay, I decided to take a bus trip to visit Perfume Pagoda, which is one of the more important holy sites in Northern Vietnam. The trip, including lunch, was only $16, so even though The Lonely Planet told fellow travellers that it wasn't worth it, I figured it couldn't be all that bad. (As a side note, I'm mildly disturbed by how many people I met who seem to be married to their little blue guidebook. I understand that one does need some advice when in a foreign land or a new area, but really people. Let's take our eyes out of the books and look around us while on a trip, mmmm kay?)
I was unimpressed with our guide for this trip. He was maybe 17 years old and rather disorganized. On the bus, though, I met some cool folks from Scotland and England. They were friends from back home and traveling together, but we hit it off alright. So when we got to the village on the Perfume River where we caught our boat rides to the pagoda, we shared a four person boat.
Behind me, you can see my boatmates and the AWESOME tiny Vietnamese woman who hauled ass while rowing us.
Ok, to be honest, the complex at Perfume Pagoda was the dirtiest place I went in all of Vietnam. It may actually be the dirtiest place I've ever been in my life, not counting the detritus-filled swamp fields on Wallops Island I played around in for Biology class in tenth grade. It was a teeming tourist trap (though almost exclusively for Vietnamese tourists; besides our group I saw very few other non-Vietnamese visitors) and had the only toilets I've been to in Asia where I actually turned and walked out again saying, "I can hold it. The trip back is just four hours..." (and I've used an outdoor squatter located on a 400-year old farmstead with no hot water).
One of the disturbing things was the sight of all the recently killed animals in various states of preparation for feeding hanging around the restaurants on the docks. Especially disturbing were the dogs and ocelots (who looked like my kitties--boo hoo).
Animals ready to be cooked.
After lunch, we had only a short time to explore the areas around the base of the mountain and head up to the pagoda. I had to take the cable car to the pagoda because of the short time (too bad!).
They seemed the be having some kind of lantern festival in the temple.
Lord Buddha loves his Choco Pies.
Entrance of the pagoda, inside a large cave.
I had a really good time exploring on my own. I could take all the pictures I wanted at my own pace. The Vietnamese tourists in my cable car kept trying to speak to me in English. And some ladies I met in the pagoda wouldn't let me leave until I'd washed my face five times with the cave water (this is supposed to bring me luck... and I complied even though I was already feeling really dirty). Honestly, if I went back again, I'd go just on my own, not through a tour company.
The pagoda itself was a small disappointment without a full understanding of its religious significance. Our tour guide wasn't much help on this subject. The boat ride and temple at the base was worth the trip, though, and I had a fun day overall. Then I ended up meeting the boys in my boat again for drinks one night in Hoi An (coming up in future posts).
Check out the album from the day (remember there is a more graphic pic of the animals in the album):
After I got back from Ha Long Bay, I decided to take a bus trip to visit Perfume Pagoda, which is one of the more important holy sites in Northern Vietnam. The trip, including lunch, was only $16, so even though The Lonely Planet told fellow travellers that it wasn't worth it, I figured it couldn't be all that bad. (As a side note, I'm mildly disturbed by how many people I met who seem to be married to their little blue guidebook. I understand that one does need some advice when in a foreign land or a new area, but really people. Let's take our eyes out of the books and look around us while on a trip, mmmm kay?)
I was unimpressed with our guide for this trip. He was maybe 17 years old and rather disorganized. On the bus, though, I met some cool folks from Scotland and England. They were friends from back home and traveling together, but we hit it off alright. So when we got to the village on the Perfume River where we caught our boat rides to the pagoda, we shared a four person boat.
Ok, to be honest, the complex at Perfume Pagoda was the dirtiest place I went in all of Vietnam. It may actually be the dirtiest place I've ever been in my life, not counting the detritus-filled swamp fields on Wallops Island I played around in for Biology class in tenth grade. It was a teeming tourist trap (though almost exclusively for Vietnamese tourists; besides our group I saw very few other non-Vietnamese visitors) and had the only toilets I've been to in Asia where I actually turned and walked out again saying, "I can hold it. The trip back is just four hours..." (and I've used an outdoor squatter located on a 400-year old farmstead with no hot water).
One of the disturbing things was the sight of all the recently killed animals in various states of preparation for feeding hanging around the restaurants on the docks. Especially disturbing were the dogs and ocelots (who looked like my kitties--boo hoo).
After lunch, we had only a short time to explore the areas around the base of the mountain and head up to the pagoda. I had to take the cable car to the pagoda because of the short time (too bad!).
I had a really good time exploring on my own. I could take all the pictures I wanted at my own pace. The Vietnamese tourists in my cable car kept trying to speak to me in English. And some ladies I met in the pagoda wouldn't let me leave until I'd washed my face five times with the cave water (this is supposed to bring me luck... and I complied even though I was already feeling really dirty). Honestly, if I went back again, I'd go just on my own, not through a tour company.
The pagoda itself was a small disappointment without a full understanding of its religious significance. Our tour guide wasn't much help on this subject. The boat ride and temple at the base was worth the trip, though, and I had a fun day overall. Then I ended up meeting the boys in my boat again for drinks one night in Hoi An (coming up in future posts).
Check out the album from the day (remember there is a more graphic pic of the animals in the album):
 |
| Perfume Pagoda |
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Brilliant!
Min Gi continued his new career as a phone interpreter for animal health:
"How much did the vet say the surgery would cost?"
"A little expensive. 200,000 won for the surgery. Then there is a blood test (60,000) and the cost for the hospital stay (30,000)."
"That's about the same as it would be in America at a private vet." Current exchange rate puts the total at a little less than $190.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Looks like we're not going to Japan, hon."
"I am sorry." Me, too. Hopefully after Friday, though, I can sleep through the night once 사자 stops trying to attract any tomcat in a 15 mile radius to our door.
***
We have an inter-office message system at work. I asked my boss (who sits next to me) for help:
"Ms. Seo, I can't log in to the messenger system anymore."
"Oh, you need to change the information."
"Ok. How do I fix it?"
"We were sent a message about how to change it."
"Through the messenger system?"
"Yes."
"That I can't log onto anymore until I fix it?"
"Yes." I stare at her disbelievingly for a minute, and we both laugh at the ridiculousness. "I'll call the IT person."
"Thank you."
"How much did the vet say the surgery would cost?"
"A little expensive. 200,000 won for the surgery. Then there is a blood test (60,000) and the cost for the hospital stay (30,000)."
"That's about the same as it would be in America at a private vet." Current exchange rate puts the total at a little less than $190.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Looks like we're not going to Japan, hon."
"I am sorry." Me, too. Hopefully after Friday, though, I can sleep through the night once 사자 stops trying to attract any tomcat in a 15 mile radius to our door.
***
We have an inter-office message system at work. I asked my boss (who sits next to me) for help:
"Ms. Seo, I can't log in to the messenger system anymore."
"Oh, you need to change the information."
"Ok. How do I fix it?"
"We were sent a message about how to change it."
"Through the messenger system?"
"Yes."
"That I can't log onto anymore until I fix it?"
"Yes." I stare at her disbelievingly for a minute, and we both laugh at the ridiculousness. "I'll call the IT person."
"Thank you."
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