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!
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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