I was dreaming last night that John went to a hospital for some sort of checkup. His mom, who looked more like Matt's mom oddly, picked him up from wherever we were and he was going to be gone for a weekend. And then I read in the newspaper that he died somehow during the procedure, and there was a video of him strapped to a table laughing with some nurses before being dead. It was awful. (the dog Korean outfit I got was too small, so my mom managed to choose the weirdest looking dog doll to wear it instead.)
I need to start getting ready for THAILAND. I'm attempting a beef rib (galbi jjim or 갈비찜) recipe again. This time I'm using the crockpot I bought for the Christmas hams, new ingredients, and the actual cut of meat the recipe calls for. So far it smells good... (picture is another meal of the Vietnamese spring rolls. Yummy and healthy!)
Tutoring the 2 local students is going all right. I finished Up with the one who lived in L.A. for 8 years. He chose to watch The Cove when I mentioned I had a couple of documentaries. Apparently, he really likes documentaries, and he went on about how he thinks it's important to know about the dolphin killings in Japan. I do, too.
I picked up a 3rd student, who is actually one of John's. She's the younger sister of one of my high schoolers, and wanted some extra help with the textbooks. Yeaaaah. Not really sure how successful this is going to be. In my opinion, I think the textbooks are awful, but there may be some supplementary material I'm missing... but they don't seem too instruction-friendly. My fluent student, as desired by the girl's mother is going to be a translator while I tutor. He claims it's fun, and I see it as good practice for him.
Ah, to blow through the holidays or not... yeah sure. Christmas, as I may have said before isn't a big deal here, and it was sad. We worked Christmas Eve; some of us had half days... I got off an entire hour early! buh. Stores were open Christmas day, another strange thing to me, but good because I forgot vital ingredients and the crew who came over had to split in two groups. I made a Costco run for rolls and pie, while some others went to the local Homeplus to find some tubing to fix the sudden break in my toilet. It's so old, the parts in the tank are dissolving. nasty.
I had friends over for Christmas Eve night into Christmas day. I wussed out at about 2am, while they got to play my new game from my brother and sister in law. As of yet, I haven't gotten a chance to play :( Christmas breakfast was awesome, french toast, eggs, and bacon. Christmas dinner was a more awesome repeat of Thanksgiving. And we blew through 3 pounds of bacon in one day.
In lieu of not having English camps like the other EPIK teachers, I'm tutoring 2 local students three times a week. One student is apparently fluent, so we decided to watch movies and talk about them. I'll be assigning reading work for him to do as homework once I find a jump drive for him and he recapped what was happening to me as the movie played. It's good listening practice, and also a good opportunity to practice English again since we're conversing far more naturally than instruction. I mean. He's fluent. The other student I'm teaching chapters from this weird musical thing. She flies through the work in 15-20 minutes, I'm supposed to be there for 45, and I can just squeeze out 30 minutes of working with her before there's absolutely nothing left to do. The way the work is set up, it's hard to practice speaking which is what she needs most. She has a good memory, but as far as using English in conversation, more support is needed. Small steps.
New Year's was spent over 11 hours in Seoul. Absolutely mother effin cold. I've never been so cold in my life. I thought last year sitting outside for 3 hours in the Harrisonburg Christmas parade and then getting stranded with 3 adults, 1 with low vision and needing help walking back, another too lazy and demanding help, and then having to walk across town back to the van when we should've gotten a ride from the other staff member... no no no. This night was far worse. Of course the fact that I was wearing tights instead of pants and flats and heels with no insulation probably had something to do with the level of cold I fell to. There was a noticeable temperature difference between Seoul and Daejeon. The midnight finale was kind of a let down. They beat a bell, and then a lot of people started to leave right away. Getting through the police lines were INSANE. Blocks of police, allowing a passage barely wide enough for one person to get through, while all the Koreans were shoving from behind to move forward. And then there were those lovely couples who pulled a Jack and Rose, never letting go even when they were in the way of others. Awkward when you're stuck between them. I mean, please.
We spent the rest of the night between two Ho Bars. In Seoul, there's a series of what, 7 Ho Bars? The last one, we split a bottle of Jack, though I feel bad because I understood it to be $10 a person, when it should've been more like $20. If I see the guy who paid again, I'll give him money. I'm not a big fan of whiskey. Around 5 we headed back to the subway station, bought new tickets for the KTX to leave sooner and get back to Daejeon much faster. John had been sick with food poisoning, so he passed out as soon as we got to his apartment. I slept for maybe 2 hours... and ended up being a cranky wreck for the rest of the day. That basically brings me up to today.
Oh! I saw Avatar! The story is unoriginal, but I can totally get into it because of the visuals, which I'm sure a lot of people say. I definitely want to see it again, and it's not an original story, but I liked it anyway. John and I discovered a new coffee shop in Old Downtown. Super cute little rooms. They offer coffees, smoothies, milkshakes, cake, and some meals. Love the setting.
I got some pink nail polish (finally) and painted my toes (seriously finally) for the first time since leaving home. Seriously. It was about time.
The grammar is probably all wrong with that Korean, but I say meh. This trip was the prize for placing in the teaching contest. It was a bit of a throwback to the EPIK day trip, as it included a temple and some EPIK teachers, but that's about where the resemblance ended. We saw a temple, a cave where a stone sitting buddha was inside. The original buddha was destroyed by the Japanese (and my friends upon hearing this all replied with "of course!"). I had a hotel room to myself because I didn't really make friends with any of the other female native teachers that day, and Sunday was mostly a bust to me because the museum we went to wasn't really my thing. Artifacts and architectural history doesn't thrill me.
The process of planning Thailand is slow. I added flights from Bangkok to the island of Phuket on my credit card. Getting online banking set up with my Korean bank has been super lame dramz. If I see my co-teacher today, I'm going to enlist his help with this... The process of signing in online is complicated to put it lightly. First I have to "issue a certificate" online- which I think means download and save to a usb. I can't get past the first step as of right now because entering my information yields a "we're sorry, but you are not registered for PC/internet banking." Bull.
This week the school has been undergoing finals. Today's the last day and a normal schedule resumes tomorrow. Next Wednesday to Friday is a "training" trip for students. Teachers go, too. yay. And the last week before Christmas, I've been forced into singing an American Christmas carol. If I can get my other co-teacher to lend me his guitar I'm cool with it. I don't do this a cappella stuff.
There really isn't a whole lot going on right now. A teacher lifted up his shirt the other day to reveal a sign that said "I <3 MG" (MG for MeGan), a stunt between him and another teacher. His brother suggesting (joking of course...) the 3 of us room together for the school trip because it'd be fun, to which I replied that his wife just might not approve. My heating pipes (they fill with hot water and warm the floor) breaking for a second time, forcing me to move out for a week while the entire floor is destroyed and fixed. I've been staying with John, but really, his apartment is too small to accommodate 2 people for extended periods of time. We're tripping over each other's stuff all the time, and it's just. Crowded. My pipes were first fixed Thanksgiving day in a hurried 1 day thing. So now it's new cement in the entire apartment, and I'm wondering if they're going to put everything back where, or close to where it was originally when they finish. I visited yesterday to get my passport, and I hadn't before thought about the extend to which they were uprooting all my stuff. Which was to the maximum.
Unless they plugged in my fridge, which is sitting outside my door, all my food is gone. My stuff has been stuffed into suitcases and boxes that were around, and who the hell knows where my furniture when. And who the hell knows if I'll find everything again. I guess more has happened lately than I would've considered.
There's been some drama about what native teachers can and can't do during winter break (the equivalent to summer). New rules were imposed as of yesterday, the school year ends Christmas Eve. After being told that we can apply for "home research"- a glorified way of saying I'm not coming into school to work, but will "work" at home instead- during a city wide "training" day (and yes, all these quotations are valid and necessary) the new notice said native teachers aren't eligible for this. Nor are we allowed to stay home even of the Korean teachers do. Native teachers are expected to work from 9-5 all through break, in addition to the English camps most schools hold, and any other additional things that principals want us to do. Many of my friends have an extra week of camps tacked on to their original 2 weeks, and aren't happy. I think a lot of it is the fact that if we were told sooner, and if this were more organized, we'd roll with it a little more. But it also feels like they're really pushing the limits with us, and continuously adding on more job requirements.
Fortunately for me, my co-teacher didn't like this notice, so as he put it, he begged the principal and vice principal not to make me come in during break. His argument is there's no one here, no English camps at my school because many live in other cities, and thus not a lot to do during break. I think something may be arranged so I don't have to be in school, but there will be a work plan because the MOE (ministry of edu) will be doing check-ins to make sure we're doing what they want us to be doing. So if I do get to stay home, I have to stay nearby so I can make an emergency trip to the school in the event of an MOE visit. At least after 5 and weekends, I'm free to do whatever.
On a happier note:
it's almost FRIDAY. The school year is winding down, and I'm looking forward to Christmas shopping this weekend. Because that stuff seriously needs to be in the mail next week. My feet are going to be toasty warm again this winter thanks to John and my new chocolate Uggs! (ugly, yes. Warm, a more important yes) The clothing is glorious here, and a constant tempter. :( I'm thinking about saving a chunk of money for a shopping trip in February- in addition to the cost of Thailand and money to send home as savings. Yeah. Possibly doable.
Tickets to Thailand are booked, but I never feel convinced that the tickets actually are booked until I'm in the terminals... It's been insane trying to book flights. Prices jumped nearly $300 overnight, sites were saying different things... we finally got tickets for about $650. I had to buy 3 on my American card (even the payment was a mess- paying with our Korean debits was almost impossible), so now I'm anxious to wire money to my home account to get rid of that credit.
But. I am one MASSIVE step closer to THAILAND. Trumps all.
This is why I shouldn't cook. There's still chicken in the fridge. I keep telling John to eat it when he says he's hungry. I get, "oh, okay." And that's the end. Also, since Monday, I went out for dinner Tuesday to talk about Thailand and there was an impromptu dinner last night with someone. This afternoon, I get another message to meet someone whose only night off is Thursday. He works 4 13 hour days a week. So lame. Therefore, the beef dish that I've been really kind of looking forward to swallowing down with lettuce is sitting untouched in my fridge. I'll throw it in the freezer, but then who knows how long it'll sit there. What a waste of money, carrots, and half an onion.
My co-teacher has told me to sit out all of the classes this week except 2 elementary classes because he wants to review for finals quickly. Fine, I guess. I still have the TESOL courses to finish... (vomit)
In January, I am planning to go to THAILAND. However, until my plane ticket is booked I'm not really thinking about it. Trying to budget for this trip has been difficult. Things keep changing, and all plans are extremely tentative. Saving money and taking trips abroad isn't a great combination. At least by the time I go, I'll have another paycheck, and one a week away. I'm hoping to at the very least not go backwards into the amount I've set aside. Christmas shopping also makes it hard. I have been avoiding going into department stores... and all the coupons that American stores are clogging my inbox with are
absolute. torture.
I think I'm going to suck it up and buy a cheap purse tonight. Also. I invested in a new phone on Tuesday. My plan is much more expensive, but it's because the phone company has me paying monthly payments towards the phone on top of the relatively cheap phone bill. I feel like it isn't so much it'll set me back too much, if much at all as long as spending habits aren't friggin ridiculous (I haven't purchased anything this month except necessary things!) The phone is Korea's version of the iPhone, but better. I justify this phone by the idea that I will probably never own a phone as nice as this again. I. am. in. love.
I said it before, but I feel that cooking here is much more difficult than cooking at home. Efforts take about twice as long as they did in Virginia... I often find myself yearning for the kitchen I left behind at South View. The meat selection at Homeplus is pretty awful. There aren't a lot of cuts offered, there are often grey spots on pork and beef, and meat (no matter where you go) is pretty expensive. It's been expensive equipping myself with cooking supplies, too. I've been trying to cook/ make some different things here. Without an oven, I can't make turkey meatloaf- ground poultry doesn't seem to exist here anyway. I miss turkey loaf.
Plus, my "stove" is a double hot plate. It barely fits 2 pans. It really kind of takes some of the fun away from cooking. I've made 떡 (ddeok), steamed rice cake, with cabbage and a red tomatoey-chili-y sauce. The sauce was packaged, and the ddeok was store bought. It's a dish that is pretty common at street food vendors' tents. Definitely yummier at 2 am on the streets. I made tacos with the taco seasoning sent from home. Freaking awesome. I think my proudest achievement didn't involve much cooking at all. Vietnamese spring rolls based on what John's host family served us for lunch once. She called it fusion, I guess because they incorporated Korean stuff, but it's basically just sliced vegetables, some meat if you like, and this stuff called rice paper- your wrapper. You dip it in hot water to soften it up then load up on whatever you want in it. The cool thing about this is that you can get as creative as you want or can with this dish. Plus it's pretty healthy.
Actually, I should be proud that I pulled off Thanksgiving with no stove and 2 burners. Stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn pudding, broccoli, glazed carrots. Made in my little faux kitchen. Although I did have to cook some dishes the night before. Tonight, I tried 2 different dishes: fried chicken wings in a reduced garlic, soy sauce and honey mixture, and a kalbi recipe that I modified based on 2 versions. Not so hot, although they both look impressive. The kalbi (it means rib meat, but the meat I bought wasn't that...) was kind of tasteless. It's smell was deceiving! As for the reduction mixture... I don't know how to reduce. I figure John will snack on the chicken... hopefully, and the next meal I'll get lettuce to wrap the beef in and cover up the blandness. This dish is to be conquered.
But seriously. Can you believe that I'm cooking beef? omg, I cooked BEEF. And I didn't even think about it.
My treasure for the day was green beans! Today was the first time I've seen them here, but they're pretty expensive. Just enough for 2 people cost almost $3. So worth it. Cauliflower is starting to show up in the stores, so I'm planning to get some and do the cheesy cauliflower like home. I have a giant head of cabbage that I didn't get to use today... now I need to figure out how to make it tasty. It is almost one of my favorite vegetables now. It's dirt cheap and PACKED with nutrients. Toss is in the family with broccoli and cauliflower. Awesome.
On a closing note, Korea as someone put it, is all about free stuff. At Homeplus, random things get taped to products as freebies. I got a cereal bowl and a fork off of 2 different cereal boxes. Giant boxes of instant coffee had tuppeware containers stuck to them, some products get doubled up. Chili paste was coming with cooking oil. STORY. An associate chased me down in Homeplus to try and convince me to buy a huge container of chili paste because it also came with a small bottle of the oil in my cart. I mean first, how did she see those things in my card. And secondly, I turned her down because the chili paste was way too much, and the oil was way too small. She probably just thinks I was clueless.
I never finished my 5 day course of Tamilflu. Sunday was awful. First to clarify, there apparently aren't general doctor's offices here. There are specialized doctors in their own offices, but for something general you go to the hospital. So no hospitals were open in my neighborhood on Sunday. My coteacher lives halfway across town, and he made me meet him at a hospital that was open near him. By this time, my temperature was about 102, my entire body hurt, and I had those chills in the bones that you can't do anything about. Absolutely miserable. On Motrin and Tamiflu and some mystery "cold pills," my temperature peaked at 99 on Monday, and was gone Tuesday. Nice.
I need work in my life, though. Being at home for a week was pretty dismal. Oh, and by the end of my birthday, I had received 4 cakes and got very drunk. But not as drunk as I was last weekend. Soju is dangerous. Koreans who drink with you are dangerous. A group of 10-15 of us were in this tiny bar, and a Korean college soccer club was also drinking. We made friends, ended up drinking together and I insisted that I was having a moment with this guy until he fell into a table. The night was kind of awesome.
Today, my 2 classes were cancelled for an unknown reason. I started the online courses that my co-teacher signed me up for (thanks for that...) and had some issues with accessing some video lectures. I got to see my computer be controlled remotely. Weird thing. I survived one class. 10 e-lectures, some freshman homework and an obnoxious lecturer. Koreans with English (British) accents are disturbing. Not because of the accent, this particular woman pronounced some words in ways that gave me the urge to hurl my computer. Or chuckle. Or do both at once. My hopes that the next class would be better were dashed when the new video opened with a portly American man in a powder pink shirt... and no offense, but kind of looking like a pedophile, which made me suspicious that he's an Asiaphile. I know, I'm judgy. To survive this... This better certify me in something.
Sunday I was "diagnosed" with H1N1, and must now spend a week at home. Yesterday sucked. Really sucked. The body aches, the internal chills. Freezing, but sweating. I don't know if it's my fever really going away or the Tamiflu I'm taking, but my temperature hasn't gone above 99.5 today. fine with me.
It started yesterday afternoon when my co-teacher arrived to teacher training with a cake. It was a house... and somehow they managed to demolish it in 5 minutes. At midnight when my co-teacher sent 15 text messages. The last 6 woke me up. I vaguely remember feeling freaked out and wondering who would be texting me then... and so much. The student I meet with in the mornings to go over her English diary gave me a gift; I haven't opened it yet. A teacher gave me something that has to be refrigerated. And then after lunch the teachers gave me another cake- a sweet potato cake!- (고구마)... Thursdays I have classes all morning, so I don't come down to the teacher's room until lunch. Someone left a handful of chestnuts and a sweet potato on my desk. Another teacher made these cute magnets- a happy cloud and a leaf... pictures later. too effn cute. It's been a good day, and I reeaally appreciate what everyone's done!
I also figured out the post office... kind of... and found some cards to mail to the states (AT LAST). I have a rogue Christmas card and some stationary sets. Everything else seems to be about how "I love you" or something about being happy. hopinghopinghoping the stuff I mailed actually makes it to their destinations.
After my school closed last week for H1N1, now all the students are getting sick.
The faculty at my school blasts the heat, turns it off, and then opens the windows. It's about 40 degrees today. Apparently stingy on AC, and totally weird about heat.
Plus, my "stove" is a double hot plate. It barely fits 2 pans. It really kind of takes some of the fun away from cooking. I've made 떡 (ddeok), steamed rice cake, with cabbage and a red tomatoey-chili-y sauce. The sauce was packaged, and the ddeok was store bought. It's a dish that is pretty common at street food vendors' tents. Definitely yummier at 2 am on the streets. I made tacos with the taco seasoning sent from home. Freaking awesome. I think my proudest achievement didn't involve much cooking at all. Vietnamese spring rolls based on what John's host family served us for lunch once. She called it fusion, I guess because they incorporated Korean stuff, but it's basically just sliced vegetables, some meat if you like, and this stuff called rice paper- your wrapper. You dip it in hot water to soften it up then load up on whatever you want in it. The cool thing about this is that you can get as creative as you want or can with this dish. Plus it's pretty healthy. 
