Busy Busy Busy

Hi all you lovely readers. The last two weeks have been insanely busy. Between trying to get through my days at work and trying to explore my city, things have been pretty nuts. Thanks for sticking around and sending me nice notes or talking to me online.

Last week was a tough week at work. I'm learning how to balance the expectations I had with the job with the actual expectations of the job. Its something that I'm still getting my head around but I think in another few weeks I will be in a good routine and won't feel so exhausted at the end of each day.

As you may have seen on my google + album the kids dressed up for Chuseok (see a detailed explanation here) which is Korean Thanksgiving. Its a big holiday here and families get together and give gifts and thanks for an excellent harvest. All the kids dressed up in their traditional hanboks and they were so cute! Parents brought in outfits for us teachers to wear as well. Some fit better than others but overall it was a really cool experience.

Because of the holiday, I've been off of work beginning Wednesday. I went to my first karaoke bar. It was so much fun. We had this whole little room to ourselves with couches and only us so we could sing as loud as we wanted and pick whatever songs we wanted without having to be on a stage in front of people. I also had to ride the subway all by myself to meet up with my new friends. I got to see their neck of the woods have yummy dinner and fun singing. I also had the scariest cab ride of my life with high speeds, back allies, and places I was sure he was going to rob and leave me. Luckily he was just taking shortcuts but at the time it was scary!

Thursday was Chuseok and I spent the morning "hanging out" with some of my favorite people. I laughed a lot which was a wonderful way to start the day. I went down to the river on my bike to read for a bit and watch the sunset. It was beautiful but not very quiet. For a holiday it seems everyone was out walking around with their dogs, bikes and music. Thursday night I went out with some people from work to eat, drink and be merry. It was a nice night and I was glad to get out and see more of the night life.

Today (Friday) I met some new people and tagged along for a trip to the outer regions of Daejeon and thought I was going on a hike. What actually happened is we ventured out to the nether regions and went to an outlet mall. It was a new outlet mall, kind of like going to Smithfields. We walked around made fun of fashion and bought nothing because its all tiny sizes and way too expensive for an outlet mall. We then went back into town and went to the hot springs. THEY WERE VERY HOT. I had a red water line on my leg from the heat but it felt so good. You have to wash your feet beforehand and only then can you soak your feet in the springs' waters. It was a relaxing way to end my day. I walked back home from the subway and just enjoyed the night.

I wish all my days could just be spent traveling and being a tourist. I guess I've still got to work! Two more days of a break before school starts back and I'm going to try and hit up a spa and get a massage. The spa's here involve nudity so I've got to overcome that!

This weeks interesting things:

• Noticed this sign in the bathroom and thought it was interesting. Korea Toilet Association. That's all I'll say.

• Had some friend chicken recently and its different. The fried part is fine (and delicious) and I can find the drumstick and the wings but all the other pieces are new. They cut it up very differently and it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. At least the neck is easy to pick out. Gross.
• I keep hearing police sirens but when I try to find the car its usually a motorcycle with the sound for its horn or a tow truck driver. I don't actually know what sound a Korean police car makes.
• At the outlet mall it was REALLY hard to tell the difference between men's and women's clothes.
• For Chuseok we got a gift from school. The English teachers got movie tickets and the Koreans got a huge box of seaweed. 
• Much like some people in the US have a superstition with the number 13 the Koreans have something similar with the number 4. Notice the elevator doesn't have a 4th floor but it does have an "F" floor. I mean it still the 4th floor putting an "F" in the elevator doesn't change that. I just shake my head.

That's about it for now. Keep emailing me or hanging out! I hope to have a phone in the next weekish so you can text me as well!

Week Two

Well hello! How are all of you doing? I seem to be doing very well.  I'm actually surprised how quickly my life has become boring! I have a routine and it works for me. This was my first full week of teaching so that was stressful, but overall I think it went pretty well. Only made one kid cry and another had a nasty tantrum but other than that we seem to be hanging in there. I have hot water, which has been glorious. I have successfully cooked on my stove and been back to the grocery store. I also had to go the doctor for the preliminary check-up so I can get my ARC. They took blood, tested hearing and sight, blood pressure and did a chest x-ray. the VD from work went with me because they didn't speak English but I knew what to do when she handed me a TOPLESS paper cup and pointed toward the bathroom.

I bought a bike! It wasn't the cheapest but it wasn't the most expensive and I am, so far, very happy with my purchase. Granted I haven't ridden it much because 1) I'm a little scared and 2) I'm out of shape and the first bit of riding was painful on both my rear and my legs. Tomorrow though, I'm riding it to school so I may have some funny stories of falling or doing something else crazy. I hope, overall, that I survive and aren't too worse for wear.

When I walked into the store the man at first thought I wanted to just buy a basket for a bike but after some pointing and a few words from my Korean dictionary I believe he was convinced I was going to buy a bike. The first one he showed me was $400 and I was like WHOA back up buddy I'm not made of money (which I could have said out loud because he didn't understand me) and we instead found a couple bikes in my price range. I bought a helmet, lock and headlight as well. I then drove her home. I forgot how much fun riding a bike can be!

Saturday night I had a great dinner with two co-workers at an all you can eat Korean BBQ place. It was one of those nights where you get to talking and before you know it almost 2 hours had passed. It was really nice and exactly what I needed. I really like all of my co-workers but all of them are either living with a significant other or are married. That makes calling up a girlfriend to grab coffee or to hit up a bar a little more difficult.

That's why after dinner I went a few doors down to this party at a club that was labeled as a "Welcome to new Daejeonites" kind of thing. I went hoping to meet some new people. I know it may shock MANY of you but I am actually introverted and get really nervous about being in large groups of people. It's one thing if I know everyone, its a total other thing when I know no one, its loud, and its in a foreign country. So on one hand I really wanted to go because I want to make friends and on the other I wanted to take off running to the nearest cab to the safety of my apartment.

I went of course and it turned out to be really fun. I met two girls with EPIK who live on the other side of town but who are easy to get to on the subway (I hope to tackle the subway soon!). We hung out on the patio and drank beer and soju while random people stopped by. Some they knew, some just wanted to say hey, and some were just drunk. Soju will do that to you. Afterwards we all went to a club which was way too loud and I didn't stay more than 10 minutes. I'm glad I met some new people and I look forward to meeting up with them and going to Karaoke together!

Today is Sunday and I am bushed. I didn't do anything but finish watching season 4 of Arrested Development, work on my lesson plans for the week and do laundry. It felt good to just chill out and prepare for my week. I have this full week of work then two days the next week and then five days off for Chuseok. It's the Korean Thanksgiving and sounds pretty intense. I've got some plans to chill and plans to explore so I'm glad to have time off.

Here is a link I've been adding photos to so you can check it out. I don't have a ton of photos, but when some saying or picture strikes my fancy I click away.

My camera has been spotty and burning through batteries. It doesn't always seem to want to focus or to take the picture when I click the button.  I can't wait to finally take some pictures down by the river. It's so pretty at sunset and I hope to get some good shots this week since I"m riding my bike and can stop when I want! Also I hear there is a van down there that has a crazy guy living in it.

I've also gotten to Google Hangout with some more people this week. If you give me about 12 hours notice I can verify a time we can be on together. Send me an email and lets set something up. I've loved all the talks I've had with my family and friends this week. You don't seem so far away.

Here is my list of interesting things I've noticed recently:

• As Chuseok nears, gift boxes (similar to what we see at Christmas) are popping up in the stores. The interesting thing about this is that they are 95% of the time, Spam gift sets. Yep, you read that correctly, SPAM. Its big here.
• You can liter, anywhere, just drop that gum wrapper or receipt and nobody looks twice at you.
• Eating out for one is kind of weird. Koreans are big sharers and so if I go out by myself I get a HUGE portion of food because technically it's made for more than one person.
• A neighboring classroom had a birthday this week and the mom made all the kids fabric crowns. All the kids wore them, even the boys and they didn't think a thing about it. I loved that more than anything. There was no "this is a girl thing" they just embraced it and loved the gift they got to wear. They were so cute! 
• Also, I'm pretty sure all hipsters are really actually copying Korean men's fashion.
• Its weird how branding works. I have been able to recognize labels (Ritz crackers, Gatorade, laundry detergent) based on their US packaging even though they are written completely in Korean.

Recent goofs I've made:

• I bought peppercorns at the store thinking a grinder was attached. It was not.
• A co-worker wrote down the area I live in so I could say it to the cabbie. So far I hadn't had any problems until one cabbie yelled at me because apparently I wasn't being specific about where I live. The part I thought I was saying which specified "near the middle school" was actually just the polite way of saying "please take me here" so I kept repeating "please take me here, please take me here" without actually giving him the "here" he was seeking. Obviously,  he didn't take me where I wanted to go. When he made a left instead of a right I just asked to get out and walked the rest of the way home. 

They are called Grills and I'm pretty sure Mr. Franklin did NOT have one

So we're two days into teaching all on my own. I am super tired but things are going okay. Its a long day but goes by pretty quickly. We have a holiday after next week and I hope to spend some time exploring my city better. I don't think I can go without a bike for much longer. It will make my life much easier. We'll see about getting one this week. I did a load of laundry (yay!) and it is all dried. I still don't have hot water. Mr. Lee was supposed to come by tonight (or so I was told) and he hasn't shown up yet. I can't do another day of showering in cold water. Today I saw stars when that cold water hit me. I swear i blacked out a little. The weather had cooled down significantly the last few days. I've had my windows open and my fan on. P.S. I'm still alive.

Today's strange observations:

• Taxi drivers (and I'm assuming all other drivers) put their car in neutral or park at stop lights.
• I have never heard anyone hock a loogie quite like a Korean. Its gross.
• They have stuff called "cider" but it really tastes like sprite.
• Older ladies like to wear these visors. Its creepy and hilarious at the same time. I think they should be worn in all horror movies.
• Koreans are crazy parkers, like nothing I've ever seen. That four feet of curb you were sure you couldn't parallel park your car into, they just pull into like its angled parking.

Here is a bit of wisdom to keep you going today. This was in the newspaper (think larger Minipage from the N&O) that we read in one of my classes: