I am confused about the days...

Disclaimer!!! - When I started writing this post it was still Monday... So the majority of it is about yesterday.

Who else hates Monday's?

  Actually, I never used to mind Monday at home, because I actually didn't mind going back to work. But here, I go to work and have no one to chat with. And, the days are set to return to the monotony of standing around looking foreign. Co is back, and I have been pushed back to the computer. Me and another teacher had a good laugh at the grade 5's reaction to the news Co was gonna teach again - one girl cried. They are scared of him!!!

  I wouldn't say this is a hellish thing, but it does make my time go really slowly. And this is where it would be nice to be in a hagwon. Just go to school, do your classes and leave. The free time is nice, and the holidays are nice but I got a taste of my own classes and now its all I think about. 

Today Co found a video of a good morning song to use for gr 3. Now, last week I actually found a much better one. It has subtitles and everything and a really cute animation that I am sure the kids would appreciate. I offered to show it to him but he seems to think that there is nothing online with subs so we are better to use his. And that was that. I also asked was there anything he wanted me to prepare for the rest of the week. No, not as yet. But he would like me to read over the lesson for tomorrow. Ok. Done. Now what? I can't openly play on fb as he is back in the office. I can't even have the heater on anymore because he is feeling hot. It is currently 10 degrees. Its not hot at all.

I can't watch dramas while he is here. So inconvenient. I am having trouble playing scrabble with him here too... Why couldn't the nice friendly cute grade 5 teacher be my co :( she is super nice. Wishful thinking.

Mysterious Stranger update

I know how keen everyone is to hear how this is going so here we go...

  I saw him on Friday morning when I was near the bottom of the stairs. He was running late (in fact I am fairly certain he would have missed that train) but I still tried to make eye contact. Instead of being able to glance and just smile like a normal person, the Stranger didn't look up and meet my eye until I was looking away. I noticed this exchange and immediatly tried to restablish the eye contact, but if course then he looked away. So I also looked away (not to come across as one of those people who stares) and I saw that he had looked back again. But I just left it - the situation had already gotten weird and I didn't want to make things worse. Plus he was about to miss the train and I didn't want to somehow feel responsable for that. So rather than my planned eye contact, smile and keep walking, I had that weird omg, should I look, no, yes, don't stare kinda moment. Like when you are passing someone on the footpath and you both move the same way, and then you go to move and so do they and it ends up looking like you are doing this weird stupid arm waving dance on the street. It was like that, but with eyes. 

  I ended up not having time to walk down with the dog, becasue I was hungover in the morning and then spent the afternoon with some girls sitting in a park enjoying the nice weather. It got to a whopping 20 degrees C so it was actually really nice. It's back in the teens and lower this week but I am confident that Spring is finally here so we are all good. 

The diet

  As predicted, the diet is failing. I am not sticking to it properly, but I blame this on my condition last week of being both unwell and hormonal. I am much better this week so I will try again. I will also be attempting to be more active after school so we will see how that goes too. I want to go back to the jimjilbang at the end of the month and I really hope I have lost something (weight, obviously, not my phone or wallet). Even just a few kilos would be fine... I am giving myself until Sissy arrives to lose 8 kilos. Doesn't seem to hard huh? Time for good food :) And I have been advised that rice is better than bread, so I will maybe switch the bread up for carbs. Not that I have been eating much bread lately but whatever.

Payday

  Its payday on Friday this week. For all you people out there considering working in a Korean public school, we get paid monthly on the 17th of every month. But this month it falls on a Sunday so they hit us up on the Friday. Its a fairly sweet deal... I usually do my bills first, send money home, then slowly eat and drink the rest. There are some birthdays at home, so I have to account for that and on that note - I need to find the post office. I have no clue where it is. 

  This month will be a little tight cos of the wedding, and I am planning on staying down there overnight. JESS I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED ON SATURDAY! I didn't end up getting a new dress, I have one that is really nice and I can't justify the money. I hope there is good food there I am hanging out for it. 

Oh, and I took Milky to the hairdresser (doggy hairdresser) who gave him a very handsome cut and colour. And a rubber chicken toy for being such a good boy. Here he is in all his glory:

What an adorable guy

Tuesday

Ok, I am now fully prepared to talk briefly about today. Tuesday. 

  Just got home from a teacher's diner. This one was its usual awkward self, but at least the maintenance guy didn't slur on me this time. But I did have a few drunken conversations (they were drunk, not me I was stone cold sober), one with Co and another with one of the new teachers. He also has the last name Park, but that isn't strange because most people in Korea are either a Park, Lee or Kim. So Co comes and sits down kinda next to me to check how I am (I had sat myself on the table he WASN'T sitting at) and I assured him I was getting along fine with the ladies I was sitting with. He asks if I can read the sign... I lied and told him someone else had told me what it said (it basically said congratulations new teachers at Songshin Elementary School) and then listed all the new teachers names. He asked if I could read the names...

"Well, it looks like most of them are Kim" I said. Drunk co laughed so hard soju came out his nose. He repeated what I said to everyone at the table. Ha ha... I think. They all thought it was funny too. I still don;t get it. Everyone is Kim. But whatever. Maybe I missed an inside joke? Anyway he then brough up a conversation we had earlier. I had told him after classes yesterday that I was hoping to be more involved in class this year, and was there anything he would like me to prepare for the rest of the week. He said no but thanks. Ok, I tried. Anyway tonight he tells me he was very pleased that I had asked him that. It made him happy that I had offered to photocopy sheets of paper etc. So the conversation must have struck a cord if we were having a drunk discussion about it tonight. I told him I was serious, and that I am here to teach so please make use of me. He pretty much said that he wanted to lead for grade 3 and 4, and wanted me to lead for grade 5 and 6... Not quite what I want but its a start. So dialogue is happening.

  The other drunk conversation was with one of the new teachers (the Park) who introduced himself, and asked me to call him by his first name. Which I have forgotten. And then said he thought I was very beautiful... Within hearing of some other teachers which made me embarrassed, especially when one asked what he said and the other translated. Ugh. Well, better than being told I am ugly thats for sure.

  The good news that came out of tonight was meeting some of the younger new teachers who seem really nice, and apparently a few live quite close to the station and therefore close to me. So fingers crossed I make some friends. I know it would def help if I ate with everyone but I can't bring myself to eat that crap. 

Anyway, I am kinda sleepy and I need to dry my hair. I don't want to be late tomorrow as Co will be hungover from tonight (a heap of teachers went out to a norebang) and I might have to teach by myself in the morn. 

Have a good night guys xoxox

Cute rice cakes given to all staff by the new teachers at dinner. So cute and tasty! Called 떡

2 Months

Can you believe it?

Hasn't time just flown?!?!?! Tomorrow is my 2 month anniversary in Korea, and although I keep everyone updated about my general comings and goings, I thought I would do a bit of a reflection of my time here so far. 

  The biggest challenge for me hasn't been the language barrier, or the food, or any of the predictable obstacles, rather it has been living alone. Before I came to Korea, I had always lived at home with mum and sissy so I have always had others around me. Our house in Melbourne is HUGE by Korean standards, and when I first arrived I felt a bit claustrophobic in my 1 room apartment. I mean, I loved it from the moment I walked in, but it is definitely small. And quiet... I have always enjoyed my own company just fine, but I have discovered I am a terribly needy person. I NEED to be connected at all times, and I NEED company during the week. I have made it a priority to keep busy and as a result I actually don't spend many nights at home by myself. I tend to go out for dinner with someone on weeknights, so the only time I really have to myself are the weekends (during the day). And I try to keep Sunday night to myself but that's not a rule. 

  

  I can basically read and write in Korean now. I joined Korean class, which I go to on a Tuesday and a Thursday night, and there has been a big focus on the reading and writing of Hangul (Korean script is very different from ours). I can read signs, and sound them out and can pronounce words much better. The only thing is I have no idea what anything means... So I can read the paper, but I can't understand what I am reading. Kinda stupid, but it's a start! The course runs for 3 months, so it will wrap up around December sometime. Hopefully by then I will have all the basics mastered and then I can wing it from there. The teachers at school are pretty good, one friend in particular is an awesome person and is really helping me learn. I still have my goal of trying to learn as much of the language as possible while I am here.

  I was not a teacher when I left Melbourne, and I won't become one while I am here. But the last 2 months has given me direction for when I come home - I want to do a Dip. Ed and teach early primary/kinder. People have been telling me for years I should have done teaching, but I have always shied away from it... I never saw myself teaching anything, but in saying that when someone says 'teacher' I think of high school. But I really like the kids here, and I am sure they will be just as cute and funny at home. So I will stay clear of high school and stick to the little kids.

  I said as well that i won't become a teacher here...Let me explain this comment. The relationship between my co-teacher and myself is a ridiculous one. I don't teach at school, I basically just stand there while he dictated to the class in Korean. They hardly speak any English, and when they do get the opportunity to practice they are mostly too shy to give it a go. In his defence, Co is always trying to think of new ways to get the kids interested in English. But to me the easiest way to keep them entertained would be to play some games and sing some songs. The kids here (and the adults!) love to sing and dance, but he does not want to deviate from the text book curriculum. So as a result we have 8 classes of bored kids who don't want to speak English. They are sick of the workbook.

So I am not getting any teaching experience, unless he isn't at school for some reason and them I am left to control a heap of ratty children who have no clue what I am saying. 

So school isn't much fun to be honest. Hopefully it will get better, because I still have 10 months of it left. 

  I live for the weekends. Actually, I live for 4:30 on weekdays too. I have been more social since coming here than I have been in my entire life. I have already managed to drunkenly embarrass myself, do all-nighters, meet randoms and become friends with them and much more. The only thing I haven't done is 'hook up' with anyone, much to the disbelief of my friends here and at home. I am having just as much bad luck with boys in Korea as I have with boys in Australia. 

  I have finally figured out the public transport. The system here is amazing and efficient. I have no idea how Melbourne has managed to fuck up Myki so badly, when they use basically the same system here. If it can work for 11 million people in Seoul, I am sure they can figure it out for the 6 million or whatever the number is in Melbourne. Get it together before I come back. Melbourne, you have 10 months. 

The trains/subways are clean and fast, and they arrive on time. Well, sometimes the subway is a little off but thats ok as I am usually a little late. 

  I have said it before, and I will say it again - Korean food is good. Especially the BBQ, I go mental for galbi. In fact we ate it this morning at about 4am after the bar closed... But the lunches at school I am totally over. The smell of the cafeteria makes me want to puke most days. I mean, its ok once you go in but outside it smells gross. 

I have eater food here that I have never eaten before, like the prawns (which I still don't like) and I eat so much meat its not even funny. In saying this, there are a heap of foods I am missing. This afternoon I could have killed someone for a crumpet. Or macaroni. Or decent cheese. Also i am not super impressed by the milk here... I know there is better milk at the Highway Mart, but its easier to grab milk from 7-11, so as a result I drink sub-par milk (firstworldproblems). 

When I first arrived I lost a heap of weight. I think I dropped 3 kilos in the first week or 2, from stereo and being scared to eat anything. Now the kilos are back on plus extra. Don't worry, November is get fit month...I got a skipping rope and everything :)

Kimbap

Mandoo

  Not being able to understand what they are saying has not stopped me from getting into K-Dramas. I love the t.v dramas here, they are so overacted you can pick up whats going on most of the time anyway. Some of them are on really late though, but luckily for me I have a super cool t.v that lets me replay shows whenever! It craps me off though that I need to pay if I want to re-watch episodes on OCN. 

K-Pop has been a guilty pleasure of mine for a while, and here I can listen without fear of judgement! I usually put the music channel on while I get ready for work, so I can watch clips while I get dressed. 

  I surprised myself with how quickly I have settled into life here. I have my little routine, and have been slowly creating myself a nice little nest here. Its easy to live in Korea, provided you are happy to be completely out of the loop. I pretty much never have any idea what is going on, and so far it has worked pretty well for me. Its clean here, and although the wearer is getting cold now, I like the climate. It is actually pretty similar to home. 

I hardly notice people staring at me anymore. Or maybe it just doesn't bother me... I go about my business, they go about theirs. But its funny, because I have taken to staring at foreigners too haha. I see one, and in my head i'm like "ooo a foreigner!" 

  To sum it up, I like it here. I feel like I have been here longer, especially because I am now meeting people who have just arrived. And then I speak with people that have been here for years, and it blows my mind! You just don't notice where the time is going! I hope the rest of my year is as enjoyable as the first 2 months have been :)

Seoul

In other news...

Sissy is coming! I don't think her flights are booked yet, but she will be in Korea in late December/early January to spend New Year with me. i am so excited! We will stay in Seoul for NYE so hopefully there will be a big party somewhere... Which I am sure there will be :) I am really glad she is coming, plus it has given me something good to look forward to. I have been trying not to think too much about having to spend Christmas alone. Well, hopefully by then I will have my dog so it won't be so bad.

I have been on a shopping frenzy the last couple of days, buying nothing in particular. I hardly have anything to show for it! But once I get my phone that will be it for speeding until next pay. One of my goals was to save money while being in Korea, not spend money. I must remember to save save save! 

Thats about it for now. 

Happy 2 months to me :)

xoxoxo