Today the weather was amazing. After work my co-worker was kind enough to invite me out to dinner and then treat me at a porridge shop, and after that I took advantage of the warmer weather to go bike riding. I hadn't been downtown yet since my return, so I rode downtown and then kept going. It was just so beautiful outside and riding my bike was so enjoyable I didn't want to come back yet. I rode and rode and then the air began to feel moist and I could smell water. It actually smelled sweet and reminded me of Saint-Louis in Senegal. I rode across the train tracks (where do they come from? Where do they go? Still a mystery to me...one of these days I'll have to follow them) and a bridge.
I was thoroughly enjoying not knowing where I was, riding through the sweet scent of water, basking in the warm spring breeze, when suddenly I came upon an intersection that I recognized, one I ride through on my way to the church where I can dance. (The church is about forty minutes from my place by bike, so I knew I was far, but not as far as I'd imagined.) I'll admit I was quite disappointed when I suddenly knew exactly how I could get back. So I didn't come back right away, but rode around some more, then finally came back.
All in all it was a pleasant trip and really satisfied my craving for adventure on my bike. I rode for about an hour and a half to an hour and forty-five minutes and it was thoroughly enjoyable. Ah, how I missed my trusty bicycle...
One of the nice things about Gunsan is that I really don't have many qualms about going out exploring. I've ridden around so much by now that I never really get too lost. I may be unable to find a particular place, or I may not know where I am for a while, but ultimately all roads take me somewhere that I'll recognize eventually. So I cycle with abandon, all day and all night, because I know I'll always end up right where I belong: here, at home, in Gunsan, South Korea.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
On Biting Off More Than One Can Chew
Today we had galbi for lunch at work. The kindergarteners graduated on Monday, so this week has been free of wee'uns in the mornings. We've been stripping and redecorating all the classrooms and have enjoyed delicious homemade lunches together (we usually eat with our kindergarteners).
The galbi was delicious. Unfortunately, it was still attached to the bone in many pieces. I tried to chew carefully until I could determine the presence of a bone in my meat or not, but in one bite I had a very small piece of bone, so I thought there were no bones but found out the hard way (oh, was that a pun?) I was wrong.
Then, while trying to find it to remove it, I accidentally bit down on it again. I think I did some damage to my tooth, because all afternoon and evening it's been hurting when I drink water or chew on that side.
I should have my health insurance soon enough. I don't think it really covers dental, but around the same time I get health insurance I should also get paid. So I'm thinking a trip to the dentist is in order...
The galbi was delicious. Unfortunately, it was still attached to the bone in many pieces. I tried to chew carefully until I could determine the presence of a bone in my meat or not, but in one bite I had a very small piece of bone, so I thought there were no bones but found out the hard way (oh, was that a pun?) I was wrong.
Then, while trying to find it to remove it, I accidentally bit down on it again. I think I did some damage to my tooth, because all afternoon and evening it's been hurting when I drink water or chew on that side.
I should have my health insurance soon enough. I don't think it really covers dental, but around the same time I get health insurance I should also get paid. So I'm thinking a trip to the dentist is in order...
The Boiler and Bananas
In all of the apartments where I live, there's a little white phone on the wall. It doesn't have any buttons. When you pick it up, there's a faint music playing via beeps. After a few seconds it gets louder. Then one of the maintenance guys picks up.
Last time I had issues with my boiler, I traipsed down to the little building where the maintenance guys hang out, and they explained that next time I should just pick up the phone and they'll send someone up for me.
The phone is a direct line to their switchboard, and it tells them exactly which apartment needs assistance. You explain your problem and they send someone accordingly.
Tonight having the maintenance man stop by solved more than just my boiler problem: last weekend I'd bought way too many bananas (what can I say? They were cheap and didn't really come in a lesser quantity), but they were quickly going bad because one person can only consume so many bananas at once, and I tend not to be in my apartment very much.
So after he'd gotten my boiler up to speed again, I asked the maintenance man if he liked bananas. He said he did, so I gave him all of them. They weren't bad yet, but they were very, very ripe. He seemed pretty pleased, and I'll sleep better knowing they didn't go to waste in my apartment.
Tomorrow is Independence Movement Day, so I wished him a good holiday.
Last time I had issues with my boiler, I traipsed down to the little building where the maintenance guys hang out, and they explained that next time I should just pick up the phone and they'll send someone up for me.
The phone is a direct line to their switchboard, and it tells them exactly which apartment needs assistance. You explain your problem and they send someone accordingly.
Tonight having the maintenance man stop by solved more than just my boiler problem: last weekend I'd bought way too many bananas (what can I say? They were cheap and didn't really come in a lesser quantity), but they were quickly going bad because one person can only consume so many bananas at once, and I tend not to be in my apartment very much.
So after he'd gotten my boiler up to speed again, I asked the maintenance man if he liked bananas. He said he did, so I gave him all of them. They weren't bad yet, but they were very, very ripe. He seemed pretty pleased, and I'll sleep better knowing they didn't go to waste in my apartment.
Tomorrow is Independence Movement Day, so I wished him a good holiday.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Doppelt Kinder
We got our schedules for the new kindergarten school year this week, and I'll be teaching two kindergarten classes starting Monday. They're both baby classes - five years old by Korean counting, but more like three in Western age - which means they'll be a lot of extra work at first. The last time I was here I had the baby class and it's tough at the beginning because most of the kids have never really been in a structured environment like this before, some of them have never seen a non-Korean, and in general they can't understand any of the instructions that I'm giving them since they have no experience with English yet. Plus they always need help getting their coats and shoes on and off, etc. So it will be intense for a while.
Having two kindergarten classes makes for an insane schedule anyway, because it takes away your biggest planning period. But it's the only way to make overtime pay here, so I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be crazy busy, but it'll be nice to be able to knock some major dents in all my student loans.
One of my co-workers just recently paid off his student loans after working here for two years straight and having double kindergartens (and thus overtime) for much of the last year or maybe longer. So maybe someday soon that will be me!
Having two kindergarten classes makes for an insane schedule anyway, because it takes away your biggest planning period. But it's the only way to make overtime pay here, so I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be crazy busy, but it'll be nice to be able to knock some major dents in all my student loans.
One of my co-workers just recently paid off his student loans after working here for two years straight and having double kindergartens (and thus overtime) for much of the last year or maybe longer. So maybe someday soon that will be me!
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Posts & Pics
I still don't have service for my phone, and I still can't get an awesomely fast Internet connection of my own, because I'm waiting on my ARC, or Alien Registration Card, to come in, which I'm told should be around March 13th. In the meantime, it's been tough for me to get good posts of my adventures up, since my laptop's not so bad at picking up weak wifi, but all my worthy pictures are on my phone. So I apologize for the lack of total awesomeness. But, lest you think I've been doing nothing this whole time, here's what I've been up to:
This week was our last week of kindergarten. I also got pretty sick early in the week and asked the staff at the school to order pizza for me, since (like I said) I don't have any phone service right now. Then I just went home and vegged out. I pretty much just watched movies on Korean TV and ate pizza on Monday and Tuesday nights, but I felt much better after that.
On Wednesday I moved from my temporary apartment to my old/new apartment - in other words, the one I lived in when I worked here before. The folks who lived here before and after me really made it nice. They got a huge bed and rearranged the furniture and acquired more furniture and decorated it and pretty much made it way better than it would have been if I'd just lived here three straight years. It's really good to feel at home again.
On Thursday I went to the doctor and the whole visit cost me less than $20. The medication that he put me on cost less than ten. And that's without insurance, since I don't have my ARC yet. Once I get my ARC and have insurance, I'll be refunded for the amount I overpaid. I love Korean healthcare.
On Friday my co-workers and I ate at the restaurant in the bottom corner of our school. I had bibimbap, which wasn't bad, but it's never been my favorite, and since I was sick it was getting hard for me to finish eating when I couldn't really breathe much through my nose.
Saturday was my "rest if I need to or have adventures if I feel better" day, and it involved the rest of sleeping in and the adventures of revisiting the famous Eunpa Park and being totally ripped off by street-vending ahjummas. I won't hold it against them, though. The rice I bought from them actually tasted pretty good. Oh, so yes, I also attempted an amazing feat of cooking, which, like all my "from scratch" meals, tasted better than it looked. Inspired by yesterday's stark lack of cuisinal failure, I made french toast today and decided to spread strawberry yogurt on it, thinking maybe I'd be recognized as a previously unknown culinary genius. Unfortunately, it didn't taste so great, so I ate the french toast and the yogurt separately.
There are pictures associated with almost all of these exciting events, and I hope in the near future to post some of them for you.
In other major news, I went back to the church I used to dance at on Tuesday nights and danced until I was thoroughly dehydrated. God is good to me.
This week was our last week of kindergarten. I also got pretty sick early in the week and asked the staff at the school to order pizza for me, since (like I said) I don't have any phone service right now. Then I just went home and vegged out. I pretty much just watched movies on Korean TV and ate pizza on Monday and Tuesday nights, but I felt much better after that.
On Wednesday I moved from my temporary apartment to my old/new apartment - in other words, the one I lived in when I worked here before. The folks who lived here before and after me really made it nice. They got a huge bed and rearranged the furniture and acquired more furniture and decorated it and pretty much made it way better than it would have been if I'd just lived here three straight years. It's really good to feel at home again.
On Thursday I went to the doctor and the whole visit cost me less than $20. The medication that he put me on cost less than ten. And that's without insurance, since I don't have my ARC yet. Once I get my ARC and have insurance, I'll be refunded for the amount I overpaid. I love Korean healthcare.
On Friday my co-workers and I ate at the restaurant in the bottom corner of our school. I had bibimbap, which wasn't bad, but it's never been my favorite, and since I was sick it was getting hard for me to finish eating when I couldn't really breathe much through my nose.
Saturday was my "rest if I need to or have adventures if I feel better" day, and it involved the rest of sleeping in and the adventures of revisiting the famous Eunpa Park and being totally ripped off by street-vending ahjummas. I won't hold it against them, though. The rice I bought from them actually tasted pretty good. Oh, so yes, I also attempted an amazing feat of cooking, which, like all my "from scratch" meals, tasted better than it looked. Inspired by yesterday's stark lack of cuisinal failure, I made french toast today and decided to spread strawberry yogurt on it, thinking maybe I'd be recognized as a previously unknown culinary genius. Unfortunately, it didn't taste so great, so I ate the french toast and the yogurt separately.
There are pictures associated with almost all of these exciting events, and I hope in the near future to post some of them for you.
In other major news, I went back to the church I used to dance at on Tuesday nights and danced until I was thoroughly dehydrated. God is good to me.
Clogged
So last night I tried to flush my toilet but the water just swelled back up into the bowl. This only happened to me once before when I lived here in 2011, but I remember well enough that you can go down to the little maintenance guys' shack and request a plunger, so when pouring copious amounts of drain unblocker down the john didn't solve the problem, that's exactly what I did. For some reason all the maintenance guys that hang down there are pretty old. For the most part they're nice, but, as I guess is often the case with old men, they have no qualms whatsoever about teasing you when you show up.
So I reach the maintenance shack and use the key words that I know to express that there's a problem in my bathroom (said key words really being "bathroom" and "water") and do the best I can to mime using a plunger with accompanying sounds.
Naturally they all laughed at me, but one of them got up and fetched the plunger from the shed for me. As I thanked him and started off with it, he said something to me in Korean. At first I thought he was telling me to eat well, like the plunger was delicious, so I looked incredulously at him and politely declined. I was halfway back to my apartment when I realized he'd really said I must have eaten well, to have need of a plunger for my toilet.
Silly old men...I gotta say, though, for all their teasing, they're really very prompt when my boiler light goes out. I have no complaints.
So I reach the maintenance shack and use the key words that I know to express that there's a problem in my bathroom (said key words really being "bathroom" and "water") and do the best I can to mime using a plunger with accompanying sounds.
Naturally they all laughed at me, but one of them got up and fetched the plunger from the shed for me. As I thanked him and started off with it, he said something to me in Korean. At first I thought he was telling me to eat well, like the plunger was delicious, so I looked incredulously at him and politely declined. I was halfway back to my apartment when I realized he'd really said I must have eaten well, to have need of a plunger for my toilet.
Silly old men...I gotta say, though, for all their teasing, they're really very prompt when my boiler light goes out. I have no complaints.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Catholic Karaoke
So the teacher I'm replacing (who actually replaced me last year) is Australian, but he's married to a woman from the Philippines. There's a Filipino Catholic church on the other side of town here that they're involved in, and on Sunday night the Filipino community hosted a going away party for them. They were kind enough to invite the other foreign teachers at our school - even me! - and we had a great time. The food was amazing and we spent much of the evening listening to or participating in karaoke songs, which included Korean, Filipino, and western songs.
It was a lot of fun, and I have to say it was also kind of interesting to have people singing Britney Spears' “Toxic” mere feet from a wood carving of Jesus. Can't say I've had the opportunity to encounter such an overt juxtaposition before now.
It was a lot of fun, and I have to say it was also kind of interesting to have people singing Britney Spears' “Toxic” mere feet from a wood carving of Jesus. Can't say I've had the opportunity to encounter such an overt juxtaposition before now.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Valentine's Day
In Korea, what tends to be summed up by our one Valentine's Day is instead spread out over three. My understanding is that February 14th is Valentine's Day, or Red Day, where the girls give something to the guys. March 14th is White Day, where the guys give something to the girls. And April 14th is Black Day, where single people get together and eat 자장면 (jajangmyeon) in misery.
Despite not being a guy and being semi-“new” to boot, I got a few delicious gifts this year:
The large chocolate bar is from a kindergartener I don't even teach, but whose class is grouped with mine for some events. The little chocolate ball is from one of my American co-workers, who brought in chocolate for all the teachers and all of his students. And the bag is from one of my kindergarten girls. Inside was a cardboard house that contained a wonderful sampler of chocolates!
Despite not being a guy and being semi-“new” to boot, I got a few delicious gifts this year:
The large chocolate bar is from a kindergartener I don't even teach, but whose class is grouped with mine for some events. The little chocolate ball is from one of my American co-workers, who brought in chocolate for all the teachers and all of his students. And the bag is from one of my kindergarten girls. Inside was a cardboard house that contained a wonderful sampler of chocolates!
The Rooftop Bar
The view from my temporary apartment is quite interesting:
I particularly like how the old bar sign has become a cubby for old water bottles. I also enjoy how useful space on a flat roof could be. It's like a secret club hangout up there! Except, I guess, that all your neighbors have clear views of you...but still...
I particularly like how the old bar sign has become a cubby for old water bottles. I also enjoy how useful space on a flat roof could be. It's like a secret club hangout up there! Except, I guess, that all your neighbors have clear views of you...but still...
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Adventures, Here I Come
I'm sure you know by now that I've been reunited with the love of my life - unfortunately, the bike shop was closed all the times I went after Seollal...until today.
The bike repair shop man fixed up my bike in a jiff. He replaced one of the tires because it was wearing out a crack into a hole on one side, oiled the chain, popped the basket back into shape since it'd been bent, and adjusted both the seat and the handlebars for me. Since my old lock had been rusted to the point of near-unusability, I also bought a new lock for it. The lock was about five dollars, and the tire replacement was 23. All in all he only charged me $28 to do all that work.
From there it was smooth sailing. Now that I have my bike back I can go anywhere again - and boy, do I intend to!
The bike repair shop man fixed up my bike in a jiff. He replaced one of the tires because it was wearing out a crack into a hole on one side, oiled the chain, popped the basket back into shape since it'd been bent, and adjusted both the seat and the handlebars for me. Since my old lock had been rusted to the point of near-unusability, I also bought a new lock for it. The lock was about five dollars, and the tire replacement was 23. All in all he only charged me $28 to do all that work.
From there it was smooth sailing. Now that I have my bike back I can go anywhere again - and boy, do I intend to!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Visiting North Korea
In one of my classes today we were talking about where the students wanted to visit and why. Most answers were pretty good, things like "I want to visit the United States, because I want to see the Statue of Liberty," or "I want to visit China, because I want to see the Great Wall," etc.
But when I asked one boy what place he wanted to visit and why, he said, "I want to visit North Korea, because it is very hard to visit North Korea."
"Oh," I said, "but which is harder, going there or coming back?"
Everyone agreed that coming back was much harder than getting in, and I asked him, "If you visit North Korea, will you come back?" and he said, "No..."
So kudos to this kid for wanting to do something just because it's hard to do, but maybe his planning skills could use improvement.
But when I asked one boy what place he wanted to visit and why, he said, "I want to visit North Korea, because it is very hard to visit North Korea."
"Oh," I said, "but which is harder, going there or coming back?"
Everyone agreed that coming back was much harder than getting in, and I asked him, "If you visit North Korea, will you come back?" and he said, "No..."
So kudos to this kid for wanting to do something just because it's hard to do, but maybe his planning skills could use improvement.
The North and the South
Today I was looking something up on Wikipedia and happened to see that the North conducted a nuclear test yesterday. This seems like big news, but the only people I've encountered here so far to think that it's worth mentioning are foreigners. Maybe Koreans are talking about it among themselves and I'm just missing out because I don't know much Korean, but maybe not. This article is very interesting and, at least in my experience, a fairly accurate depiction of how "business as usual" continues without flinching in the South.
Monday, February 11, 2013
A Good Day
Just as I was able to see the final Harry Potter movie before it was released in the U.S., it looks like I could beat Americans to see the latest Die Hard movie, too:
Alas, if only I'd seen the third and fourth ones before now!
It's okay. It's sunny here, and I ought to be outside!
Alas, if only I'd seen the third and fourth ones before now!
It's okay. It's sunny here, and I ought to be outside!
Saturday, February 9, 2013
My Trusty Bicycle Returns
My pride and joy is back!
When I left Korea last time, I left my favorite Korean thing with my favorite Korean friend. She kept it all this time and gave it back to me today! It has a flat tire, the kickstand is a little rusted, and the seat needs readjusted for my height, but otherwise it looks about the same. I walked it back to my temporary apartment today and was delighted with how good the handlebar felt under my glove. I told my neighbor friend that rolling my bike back felt beautiful and perfect in a way I couldn't describe, that it was almost like a hero cowboy reuniting with his horse. Naturally, he laughed at that (or, probably more accurately, me), but words cannot express how good and right it feels to have my own bike back.
Unfortunately, this weekend is Seollal, which means the bike shop's closed. I guess the earliest that I can get it "up to speed" again (har har?) is Tuesday.
Today I went to a coffee shop for breakfast and then the store to get some groceries (this whole time I've had nothing food-wise in my apartment because it's just been way too cold to warrant going all the way out there at night), and all I kept on thinking about was how slowly the ground was moving underneath my feet because I wasn't sailing by atop my bicycle.
I can't wait to get it back in shape so I can ride it everywhere again! Hooray!
When I left Korea last time, I left my favorite Korean thing with my favorite Korean friend. She kept it all this time and gave it back to me today! It has a flat tire, the kickstand is a little rusted, and the seat needs readjusted for my height, but otherwise it looks about the same. I walked it back to my temporary apartment today and was delighted with how good the handlebar felt under my glove. I told my neighbor friend that rolling my bike back felt beautiful and perfect in a way I couldn't describe, that it was almost like a hero cowboy reuniting with his horse. Naturally, he laughed at that (or, probably more accurately, me), but words cannot express how good and right it feels to have my own bike back.
Unfortunately, this weekend is Seollal, which means the bike shop's closed. I guess the earliest that I can get it "up to speed" again (har har?) is Tuesday.
Today I went to a coffee shop for breakfast and then the store to get some groceries (this whole time I've had nothing food-wise in my apartment because it's just been way too cold to warrant going all the way out there at night), and all I kept on thinking about was how slowly the ground was moving underneath my feet because I wasn't sailing by atop my bicycle.
I can't wait to get it back in shape so I can ride it everywhere again! Hooray!
Friday, February 8, 2013
Don't Get Used to This
The main reason I've been able to post so much since my arrival is because I'm still suffering from jet lag. I wake up in the middle of the night or early morning and can't go back to sleep, at least not for a while. So I take advantage of my free time to pour new posts onto my blog. Once I start getting back into the swing of things, however, my posting may die down a bit, at least until I get my smartphone service back and can troubleshoot my blogging app.
The Evidence of Her Affection
I promised there'd be pictures, so...
I've spent my whole life overlooking native English speakers' inability to spell my name correctly, so I think that I can let the pirate slide this time.
I've spent my whole life overlooking native English speakers' inability to spell my name correctly, so I think that I can let the pirate slide this time.
Yes, You May Envy My Super-Fluffy Bed
As I mentioned, I'm living in a temporary apartment right now. This is more of a typical Korean apartment than the one that I'll be moving into. When I arrived it had already been outfitted with an awesome Korean-style bed. Behold:
It's super cozy and super fluffy. It consists of a mat, a thin but fluffy blanket that goes over the mat, a really thick and fluffy comforter-like blanket that goes on top, and an insanely taut pillow. I say the pillow is insanely taut because it's very high when you rest your head on it and it feels so tightly packed that it's almost hard. I'm getting used to the pillow. The bed, however, needs no getting used to. It is so comfy and warm and wonderful.
Also, in Korea, the rooms are heated through the floors, so a bed like this is a great way to stay warm. It's been face-blisteringly cold here lately, so it's a relief to have a cozy place to sleep at night.
It's super cozy and super fluffy. It consists of a mat, a thin but fluffy blanket that goes over the mat, a really thick and fluffy comforter-like blanket that goes on top, and an insanely taut pillow. I say the pillow is insanely taut because it's very high when you rest your head on it and it feels so tightly packed that it's almost hard. I'm getting used to the pillow. The bed, however, needs no getting used to. It is so comfy and warm and wonderful.
Also, in Korea, the rooms are heated through the floors, so a bed like this is a great way to stay warm. It's been face-blisteringly cold here lately, so it's a relief to have a cozy place to sleep at night.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
The Pirate Offers Me a Card
My former kindergarten class has been super excited to see me. Even the elementary and middle school students have been talking about me in the halls. I can't understand most of what they're saying since it's in Korean, but I recognize my name.
Today was my second day back at work, and since yesterday my former students have come to hug me or say hi to me quite a lot. One of my kindergarten students - none other than the Phonics Pirate - came up to me today to offer me yet another delightful form of tribute.
It was a New Year's card, because this weekend we will celebrate the Lunar New Year. I took pictures of it but keep having difficulties getting my old blogging app to work. On top of that it's not the easiest thing in the world for me to transfer photos from my phone onto my laptop. Once I figure something out, though, you can be sure to see some photos.
I'll spoil it for you and describe the card to tide you over until then: on the outside of the envelope she wrote:
have new year
Inside she addressed a letter to me on cute bear stationery and wrote:
Thank you for teaching me
I love you!
She signed it and underneath her name she drew a picture.
Several of my students have come to talk to me a lot, but this one in particular has just attached herself to me whenever she sees me in the hall. She and one of my other students keep on trying to clarify if I'm just visiting or if I'm staying.
Tomorrow we will celebrate the Lunar New Year with the kids, and everyone wears traditional Korean clothes (the school supplies us foreigners with those), hanbok. Today my student said, "Teacher, tomorrow I will wear hanbok! And you will, too!"
It's amazing to be back.
Today was my second day back at work, and since yesterday my former students have come to hug me or say hi to me quite a lot. One of my kindergarten students - none other than the Phonics Pirate - came up to me today to offer me yet another delightful form of tribute.
It was a New Year's card, because this weekend we will celebrate the Lunar New Year. I took pictures of it but keep having difficulties getting my old blogging app to work. On top of that it's not the easiest thing in the world for me to transfer photos from my phone onto my laptop. Once I figure something out, though, you can be sure to see some photos.
I'll spoil it for you and describe the card to tide you over until then: on the outside of the envelope she wrote:
have new year
Inside she addressed a letter to me on cute bear stationery and wrote:
Thank you for teaching me
I love you!
She signed it and underneath her name she drew a picture.
Several of my students have come to talk to me a lot, but this one in particular has just attached herself to me whenever she sees me in the hall. She and one of my other students keep on trying to clarify if I'm just visiting or if I'm staying.
Tomorrow we will celebrate the Lunar New Year with the kids, and everyone wears traditional Korean clothes (the school supplies us foreigners with those), hanbok. Today my student said, "Teacher, tomorrow I will wear hanbok! And you will, too!"
It's amazing to be back.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
I'm Back!
After a long hiatus in America, I'm back "at home" in Korea again! I'm working at the school I worked at when I first came back in February of 2011. It's a lot of work but ultimately it's a great place to be and I am really grateful that the school director thought to offer me a job again.
I left my house a little before 4 a.m. on Monday morning to catch the 6:20 a.m. flight to Chicago, then boarded a huge plane bound for Incheon Airport, South Korea. It was due to depart at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, but there were all kinds of problems. The O'Hare airport was clogged with planes because of snow, and by the time it was our turn to leave we had to stop and do the whole de-icing process all over again. Then we finally made it out to the runway (which happened to be the farthest from our gate) only to find that there was something amiss with the plane's communication equipment. So we went all the way back to the gate again and waited while they fixed it. (Nothing like knowing your plane has been malfunctioning to give you ease about your flight over the arctic!) Finally that problem was fixed, but the airport was incredibly backed up, so we still had to wait and wait. I think they even did the de-icing process again.
We finally left, three and a half hours late, and didn't really have any problems during the flight, but a lot of people missed their flights (to Vietnam, China, etc.), which was a shame. As for me, I still caught the bus down to my city, but not until 9:40 p.m. Tuesday night, which meant I got in around 1:00 a.m. this morning.
One of the desk teachers at my school came and picked me up. She's always really nice, and I felt bad that she had to come and get me at 1 a.m. She brought me to my temporary apartment (since I'm here early and can't move in to the apartment of the teacher I'm replacing yet), which happens to be right nextdoor to my friend's apartment.
The bedding the school supplied was super soft and warm and fluffy and I slept really well. I got up and got ready for work and was thinking about leaving early to see if I could find breakfast when my friend knocked on my door to offer me some oatmeal that he'd made. How nice! I'm about to eat it now - as of yet it's still too hot for me.
I feel pretty well rested. (I slept a lot during every leg of my long trip.) I'm excited about work today. I hope I can get back into the swing of things quickly.
Time to eat my oatmeal now!
I left my house a little before 4 a.m. on Monday morning to catch the 6:20 a.m. flight to Chicago, then boarded a huge plane bound for Incheon Airport, South Korea. It was due to depart at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, but there were all kinds of problems. The O'Hare airport was clogged with planes because of snow, and by the time it was our turn to leave we had to stop and do the whole de-icing process all over again. Then we finally made it out to the runway (which happened to be the farthest from our gate) only to find that there was something amiss with the plane's communication equipment. So we went all the way back to the gate again and waited while they fixed it. (Nothing like knowing your plane has been malfunctioning to give you ease about your flight over the arctic!) Finally that problem was fixed, but the airport was incredibly backed up, so we still had to wait and wait. I think they even did the de-icing process again.
We finally left, three and a half hours late, and didn't really have any problems during the flight, but a lot of people missed their flights (to Vietnam, China, etc.), which was a shame. As for me, I still caught the bus down to my city, but not until 9:40 p.m. Tuesday night, which meant I got in around 1:00 a.m. this morning.
One of the desk teachers at my school came and picked me up. She's always really nice, and I felt bad that she had to come and get me at 1 a.m. She brought me to my temporary apartment (since I'm here early and can't move in to the apartment of the teacher I'm replacing yet), which happens to be right nextdoor to my friend's apartment.
The bedding the school supplied was super soft and warm and fluffy and I slept really well. I got up and got ready for work and was thinking about leaving early to see if I could find breakfast when my friend knocked on my door to offer me some oatmeal that he'd made. How nice! I'm about to eat it now - as of yet it's still too hot for me.
I feel pretty well rested. (I slept a lot during every leg of my long trip.) I'm excited about work today. I hope I can get back into the swing of things quickly.
Time to eat my oatmeal now!
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