ThemeSong.

The lyrics people the lyrics. Just listen. And watch the whole thing. Preferably in full screen.

ch-ch-ch-changes

Being away from everything familiar, everyone I love and care about has put so many things into perspective for me. You really see people for who they are when you are away. Who it is you can depend on and trust, who is there for you when you need them most, and who isn’t. Some people I have always known would be there, some have come as a surprise. But who you can Depend on, capital D. That’s a biggie. You can understand a lot about the nature of a person if they have dependability.

There is also something to be said of all the people met along the way. The ones you will retain lifelong relationships with, ones who will become part of your family, plans, your future. The people you know will always be in your life, throughout your whole life, the people you wish will always be in your life, but won’t, some that you wish wouldn’t be a part of your life, but are, and some that might just be part of your life for a certain amount of time. The perfect person for that perfect time. EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. True story.

CHANGE, once my enemy (?) now my… friend? Maybe not enemy so much as this thing I once feared. But why fear things that aren’t known? SOLITUDE. Being alone with myself, also scary. Growing up with a huge family, a sister close in age, friends as close as fam., an open door at all times, I was never alone and I liked it that way. Now, I live alone- I am alone, in a sea of people whose language I can’t speak. I am accepting it, everyday. I prefer companionship, I am a Libra after all… but before that time comes again where I will have solitude no more, I understand that I should cherish this time. So, I am trying. But, I already knew that I felt this way. So as much as I am learning about the nature of others I am also learning about myself. I am an independent person who loves to love to love ya, is there something wrong with that? What is anything if you have no one to share it with? In my eyes, everything is nothing when you can’t share it with someone you love. That’s KINDA the only reason I write these blogs you know. Also why I decided to begin posting photos on facebook since I’ve moved here.

“Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.”

Happy Day of Birth to my dear beautiful cousin in Heaven, we miss you tremendously.

To all my friends and family whom I love and cherish so deeply, I am so lucky to have you xo.

24 days 'til Christmas!

It's Been a While.

So alot has happened since the last time I updated. I fell off a bit but, you know, I've just been livin. As much as things are still different and exciting- it has become my norm. It has been exactly six months since I have been living in South Korea, with six more to go.

Let's recap the past three...

Jenna arrives to live and teach in Pyeongtaek. Her first weekend in Korea,Island bike trip.

Perfect way to end the summer and begin a new and exciting adventure- and a more than perfect way to introduce all the safety hazards of Korean life. Pedaling around an island on old bikes in pouring acid rain, down steep hills and hard turns. No helmet, flip flops, lightning cracking through the sky mountains and ocean all while drinking beers out of our cute bike baskets. Totally normal. But it was beautiful, and the sun did come out, once or twice.

Diane visits and it is a whirlwind of trying to see AS MUCH AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE in the few days we have to spend with her. Stop one, Penis Park. Yeah, a park full of giant penis sculptures made out of wood and stone. It was a longgg day of travel to get there but

worth the trip considering the next time I'll ever see something like that is in some kind of homosexual underground cult. And that's highly unlikely. I won't even get in to the story of WHY this penis forest was erected. Just know that it's there, and it's not going anywhere. Next stop... THE CAVES. I fucking LOVE caves. Like really, really love them. Can't get enough of them. I'm real happy we decided to wake up at the crack of dawn to go to the

phallus extravaganza when it wasn't even open to the public yet, oh did I mention that little factor? Oh did I also mention it was raining AND we were dragging around our luggage at 7am? But anyway, if we didn't do that then we

wouldn't have made the CAVES. And I really love caves. Really. We had the most incredible hike just to get to the entrance of the cave. It was epic. Of course by the time we were entering the dark damp hole the sun comes out. But that's typical.So, after our little midweek excursion during one of the only small holidays I get, Chuseok- Korean Thanksgiving (for which I received a gift box of SPAM and cooking oil from my director) we did some sightseeing around Seoul the following weekend.Checked out Seoul Tower again. Went out in Hongdae, had

some nice brunch. You know. All in all I guessss she liked it, because SHE'S COMINGBAAACK! Hooked her up with my recruiter and found a job teaching the yiddle ones about 20 mins north of me ^^ She will arrive in about 1 month. Common. Jump on the Korea boat, you know you want to.





And then I went to my first ever soccer game, not just in Korea, but. Ever. I very much enjoyed it and think I will continue to pretend to be into sports now, just to attend these events.

Then one day when everything went wrong, Jenna and I found

Forever 21. A small speck of light. (I'll save the details of this unbelievably ridiculous day for another time, IF I feel like re-living it).

And then... My day of birth. Celebrated with some new friends and some old :) A nice lil surprise office party! With purdy roses all wrapped up, and a delicious cake we shared with chopsticks. Naturally. It was a

good 26th, even though I was away from my fam and I am now officially past my quarter life.

Then another fellow Libra-ians day of birth. Costume party celebrated.PS- I heart Dori Uhm.

The Seoul Lantern Festival was pretty freggin awesome.

And LETS not forget to mention the new acquisition of my first ever gadget...the iTouch. I'm in love. Find me on words free aka words with friends. Jadekimg. I also love the hispta app. Don't hate.

So...

about 29 days til Diane arrives!

38 days till Christmas. I'll be home for the holidays and I can't wait to see everyone and SQUEEZE my large gray cat!

73 til Ms. Victoria West arrives in Korea to visit moi!!

76 til I am basking on the white beaches on a remote island of the Philippines!
xo.

Tongyeong

At the beginning of this month I had a few days off work, aka, "summer break". 3 days plus the 2 day weekend- yes, they call this summer break. Considering vacation time comes few and far between the opportunity to travel must be taken. We decide to stay within the country limits and explore the Southeast coast where we hear the beaches are cleaner and clearer than the Northwest coast, where we reside. Our first plan was to go to Busan, the city by the sea full of tourists and Korean vacationers, but under the suggestion of our co-worker we go to Tongyeong instead. About an hour from Busan, still on the Southeast coast but less... touristy, and more 'beautiful'. Tongyeong is a peninsula, which is funny because Korea is a peninsula, so Tongyeong is a peninsula off of a peninsula- say that three times fast. It consists of 41 inhabited and 110 uninhabited islands  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongyeong. We figure out that if we take a bus to Seoul (even though this is about an hour out of the way) there is a bus that goes straight to Tongyeong. This is our best option so we head up early Sat morning in hopes to catch the 9am  to Tongyeong. We make it in time but due to minor differences in pronunciation of cities in Korea we end up with the wrong bus ticket. Thank God we realize this before boarding the wrong bus. This glitch costs us a sold out 9am. We have a few hours to kill and while walking around the station with our heavy bags I make a promise with myself that I will never over pack again. 

During our 4 hour bus ride we meet two men sitting across the aisle- one was the other one's school teacher and they haven't seen each other since until this bus ride.  One of the men speaks English very well, he tells us he is living in Hong Kong, Tongyeong is his hometown and he visits every few months because his parents are getting old. He is in awe of that fact that two foreigners are on their way to visit his town. He wants to know how we know about the small place and where we are going to stay and how we are going to manage since, it seems, nobody speaks a word of English where we are going. We tell him that we have not booked a hotel and we are going to find a place when we arrive. He is overly concerned about this. I want to tell him how I read about the love motels-a-plenty and we don't mind staying in one of those for a few nights... but I'm not sure about what he would think so I just tell him it will be okay. He begs to differ. When we arrive and get off the bus he ushers us over to his parents standing by a car who have come to pick him up and introduce us. Next thing we know he is throwing our luggage into the trunk, mom disappears and we are in the car with him and dad. I am trying not to panic, this is not New York. About 20 mins later we pull up to mom and dad's house, I guess. He tells us to stay  in the car and he will be right back. Should we run? He comes running back with an armful of bedding. Bedding? I am thinking he is going to help us book a room at a hotel, why does this man have bedding? Is that not included?

10 mins later we are driving through a cute little harbor town and then we arrive at what looks like an apartment building. Mr. James Kim, as we find out his name during the car ride, grabs our bags, the bedding and leads us into an empty apartment. He turns on the AC, water, lights, shows us how to work the washing machine and stove top and says "rest now, I will be back at 9". He leaves two keys to the apartment, he says he will bring pots for cooking and utensils and some food. He makes sure we will be okay, he keeps saying he worries about us, we try to give him some money but he refuses and then he finally leaves. WTF. We stare at each other, no words. Is this man for real? Is he a kind saint or are our bodies going to end up in pieces in the Pacific? Should we leave now? Or would that be extremely rude. We are not in New York. Maybe this is how they do it. 

We shower and head out, eager to explore a bit on our own. By the time we make it into town and start to look for a place to eat Mr. Kim somehow finds us in his car and pulls up along side of us and tells us to get in. He is happy we haven't eaten because he wants to take us for "Hwe", Korean Sashimi. But before we go eat he hurriedly takes us to a few spots as any good tour guide would do. A nice view, perfect photo op, a quick hike up some steep stairs, a quick drink of mountainside mineral water, a statue of some famous Korean man from Tongyeong, a pagoda, another nice view and photo op and then we are back in the car before we know it and driving across a bridge to one of the small connecting islands. Again my mind wanders as I look at the black ocean in the night: am I making it out of Tongyeong alive? Is this a horror movie? Have I watched too many horror movies. If I make it back alive I have to blog about this. My mother would kill me if she knew what was happening right now. Who is this man. Where are we going now!?!

We finally make it to the restaurant that his friend owns, and we sit down to eat a feast for 20 : an entire giant fish plus the 40+ side dishes it came with. Including, but not limited to, still alive and moving sea slugs, Koreans LOVE their food alive. The hwe was delicious but the dinner didn't include nearly enough alcohol to ignore the weirdness.

Upon dropping us back off at our 'hotel' Mr. Kim says he will pick us up at 9am the next morning. We will be taking a ferry to one of the islands off Tongyeong where he will go fishing with his brother while Lynn and I relax on the beach. Okayyy. But we already booked tickets to the cable car at 9am (during our short excursion out alone). He seems disappointed but he says he will pick us up at the cable car place at 10. The cable car takes ten minutes to bring you almost to the top of a beautiful mountain where once you de-board you can hike to the top, stop off at a temple, eat lunch, visit a flower garden etc. But once WE arrived and almost made it to the top at approx. 9:40am my phone starts ringing like crazy, Mr. Kim is waitingggg. We speed hike to the top on the hottest August day yet, dripping sweat and rushing, jump back on the cable car and ride down to find Mr. Kim IN the terminal waiting to rush us down to the parking lot where a taxi and two pepsis are waiting. woah. 

We take the taxi to the ferry terminal because there is no parking and run into the terminal to meet his brother with the fishing gear. He gives us our ferry tickets and ice cream. Again refusing to accept any money. We board the ferry and halfway through he pulls out lunch, for Lynn and I. Is this man for real? I still cannot understand why he is being so nice to us. And what we can possibly do to repay him although he seems genuinely uninterested in any kind of repayment. The Island is GORGEOUS. Two islands actually, connected by one strip of beachy

 land. Finally, beach and paradise and beers and tubes and freedom. Couldn't ask for better weather, mountains surround the island and the beach. Beautiful. We drop our stuff and run to the water like children. After splashing around a bit we get out, drink a beer and rent some tubes. While lounging in the tubes we think how great it would be to have the beer with us. Aha. We get out, grab another and help each other into our tubes, tipsy and sneaky. We're good. Nobody noticed. 15 mins later over the loudspeaker "tuber with alcohols, tuber with alcohols" all eyes turn and stare at the white girls struggling to quickly paddle and wiggle our way back to shore with beer bottle in hand. Priceless.

As 3:30 rolls around we decide to grab a quick snack before heading back to the last ferry out at 4. We leave our stuff on the beach. After sitting calmly and enjoying our spicy hot ramen noodles in August on the beach, because that is what people eat on the beach, hot soup... no deli sandwiches here, we arrive back at our stuff to find 12 missed calls from a frantic Mr. Kim running at us. we have a good 15 mins before the ferry leaves but this warrants panic in Mr. Kim who couldn't find us when he returned from his fishing trip. We RACE to the docked ferry like it is the only way back to Earth and we are on a deserted planet. Obviously, we make it with time to spare. Mr. Kim tells us how he made an announcement for "Jade and Lynn" over the loudspeaker at the small police station on the island. He was very, very worried. We apologize for scaring him but assure him everything is just fine. So we were addressed over the loudspeaker two times in a total of 4 1/2 hours on an island with about 100 people on it. Stupid American girls. 

On the way back Mr. Kim insists we get a watermelon, an entire one, for us to snack on. They love their watermelons here and you can find them being sold out the back of almost any given truck. 

The next day, the last day of our mini vacation, we decide to take a bus over to Busan and check out the city and the beaches over there. Mr. Kim picks us up at the apartment in the morning and drives us back to the bus terminal. He won't take a penny, or 'won', from us and we don't know what to possibly get the man, who is also just visiting, to say 'thank you'. We have his business card with his address in China and decide we will send him something once we figure out what's appropriate. The entire time we spend with him he keeps telling us how we are the best people he has ever met, we are good people, we have kind faces... I still don't know how we can be the best people if all we ever did was cause the poor man worry. He is the best, most kind and giving stranger I have ever met. I am not in New York. But if I learned one thing, its that I watch too many scary movies, there are definitely bad people in the world, but keep the benefit of the doubt that most of them are probably good. 

MudFest.

My Internet isn’t working at the moment so I have less distraction and can actually update my blog. Well, falsely update it anyway. Until my Internet ‘miraculously’ comes back on, or at least that is what I am hoping since my phone call to the man on the card didn’t produce anything positive. Ehhhh. Or I could just go to Yeoni cafe, Coffee Cherry or the PC Bang. That's probably what I'll end up doing, let's be realistic, I can't just kick this addiction in a day.

Oh well. Take ‘em as they come, right? Anyways… I don’t know what to talk about first?! I never mentioned Mudfest- maybe because it is self-explanatory?

Well, to recap: Mudfest is a huge international MUD festival held in Boryeong at Deacheon beach in South Korea for the past 13 years. Thousands of people, mostly foreigners, make their way to this week long festival. I was one of them. Boryeong mud is famous for its therapeutic properties, it's used to make cosmetics, soaps, lotions, shampoos etc. The Festival is located about a quarter of a mile from the natural source of the mud, and the silt is delivered to the site via hoses and truckloads. 

Getting There: We opt to check it out the first weekend it’s in effect and we plan to take the 9am train straight to Boreyeong Saturday morning. Late Friday night we are informed that we might be SOL since everyone seems to book their train tickets in advance and the 9am is sold out, along with every other train after that. After calling the tourist information center (awesomely helpful English speaking, all-knowing gods and goddesses) we find out there are still a few seats left on the 6am train BUT, we have to get to the station earlier than that to make sure we actually GET those seats. With almost no sleep we manage to get on that early train and watch the rain pour down and whip against the windows during the two hour ride. We arrive early and check into our over-priced roach motel. Quickly change out of our soaking wet clothes into dry ones that are about to become soaked as well and head out into the rain and mud. 

Day 1: Wet, cold, muddy, drunken shit show. 4 broken/lost, wet cell phones, approximately 4 pairs missing shoes, 1 lost flip cam, 1 potential wallet/phone disaster, mud slides, blow up attractions, mud prison, a sweet potato sandwich, color mud, k-pop, cold cheeseburgers, head injuries, blood, sand, salt water, bare feet, an ambulance, fireworks, midnight swimming, 5 showers and a really bad headache.

Day 2: Beautifully sunny day of recovery. Therapeutic mud purged pores, CLAY- beach side, natural mud and wheel. Nap, sunburn and Corona.

 

THE END.

Oh and PS- 1 more yoni will be arriving shortly! Yen’s on board, yes she isss, yes she isssss!!!  10 days until her arrival (maybe) ^^

 

Happenings

The weekends are really turning into my favorite time of the week, but then again- who doesn't love the end of the work week? It's not that I don't like my job, because I do, very much so actually, the weekends are just... more fun. It's been a few weeks so let me begin with my rafting-bungee jumping adventure. Yeah, bungee jumping. Yeah, me. I did it. I don't know how I forced myself off that platform, but I did.

I was highly anticipating this day trip, first time going further out of my realm here in Kr. It was a group event we booked in advanced with promises of transportation, rafting, lunch, some day drinking, and an optional bungee jump if you so choose. Boarding the bus out of Seoul at 7am with very little sleep the night before the prospect of jumping intrigued me, and I so wanted to do it, but deep down I did not think this would be a possible achievement.  I concluded I would make the decision the last possible moment I had to make it.

After rafting down the beautiful Hantan river, eating a Korean style buffet lunch and downing a few beers to get my nerves up we once again board the bus and are on our way to the bungee site. I get off the bus with the other jumpers and pay the fee, still not 100% sure about this. I watch about 20 people go before me, they all survive. With each jump my stomach drops a bit and my sweat glands are in full action. After waiting for what seemed forever its finally my turn. My ankles are strapped in serious Velcro contraptions and hooked to the bungee with climbing carabiners. I step to the edge and look down. Mistake. oh. my. fucking. god. I can't do it. I really can't. I make up my mind and turn around after my 3-2-1 countdown fail and start asking the nice Korean guy to take these things off my ankles. I don't really recall what happened then, but somewhere in between deciding I can't do it and asking the man to release me, I turn and jump. I did it. It was awesome, fast, and disorienting. After swinging and bouncing and spinning around upside down on the cord I am finally lowered into a small little raft paddled out by a small little Korean man who unhooks my ankles and rows me to shore. Heart pounding. And pounding. It was exhilarating, and I would do it again. 

Video still courtesy of Helen. Full video available Here

He Just Like the Shape

I survived my first all nighter out in the city of Seoul. Pretty awesome. We went to a university town so there were many, many bars, places to go, and people everywhere. I haven't seen the sunrise in a setting like that since the Sound Factory circa 2000. Really. Nothing closes. Thought New York didn't sleep... these people don't know the meaning of last call. My legs are still feeling it.

Anyway, at the first place we venture into, which we now know as HoBarIII (because apparently there are 10 of them all numbered and seemingly in competition with each other) we meet the New Zealand Glee Club or, traveling youth choir. Fun. We watch them gay it up for a bit and continue on to the next place.

At our second location we stumble upon this guy right here, dressed like Bob. His friend quickly informs us via text on his phone that "he dont smoke he just like the shape"! Shape of what?! The Marijuana leaf?! Amazing.

After leaving the second place we proceeded to the fried food stand where I proceeded to shove deep fried mandu (dumplings) into my mouth while they were still frying. Burning the roof of mi boca so badly, three days later it's still bleeding and sore. Typical. We sit in the concrete park for a while watching university students and the like run around, sit in New Paltz style guitar/singing circles, swing on the swings, pass out sitting up..etc. Now and then a man pedaling rice wine on a cart goes by and I notice a makeshift bar set up in the corner selling beer and mixed drinks. 

Finally we head over to Zen Bar- complete with gangster Buddah paintings all over the wall, Snoop videos playing on a large screen and hip hop blaring. Fitting, very... "Zen". This third location is located below street level, so upon emerging in order to make the first train of the morning back in time I am surprised to find it is broad daylight. Oh hello sun. While riding in our assigned train seats back to Pyeongtaek I fall asleep against my will- thank GOD I wake up in time. On the short subway ride back to our town I am fixated on trying to figure out if the people around me are starting their day or ending their night.

We make it home, fall asleep by 8 and wake up in search of fourth of July fireworks. Our best bet is the US Airbase nearby. We flake out and say we're not going to go, still shot from the night before. But when we start to hear the booming in the distance we quickly change our minds, jump into a cab and find a rooftop bar near the base and caught some 4th of July fireworks in the drizzle. Happy Day of Birth America- from Jade in Korea. xo.

Dr. Fish

Okay, so we have officially entered the start of Monsoon Season- and I have officially witnessed my first "Monsoon". It really wasn't more than massive droplets of liquid pouring down from the sky heavily and steadily; accompanied by an incredibly loud thunderstorm that, when I found myself running toward the door away from the window- heart pounding, I realized had awoken me from my sleep. I don't know if I was running because I thought it was gunfire, or a chopper trying to make it's way into my building to spread an unknown virus of mass destruction into the airways. But what I do know is that I have been watching entirely way too many episodes of 24 before I go to sleep. 

So, Monsoon Season created the necessary mission of obtaining rain boots. While on that mission we stopped off at the Dr. Fish tank for a feeding. Very, very interesting, indescribable ticklish, weird, vibration type feeling- picture little tiny toothless fish furiously sucking the dead skin cells off your nasty feet (because that is exactly what was going on there). They definitely did some damage, I just feel like they started something and now they need to finish the job. 

Oh and mission accomplished, with polka-dotted colors.

One Month

After one month I finally set up a bank account, with the assistance of Lucas aka Shine aka Avalon Bitch. Poor guy doesn’t even get a break to take a piss, let alone eat. He also helps us research phone plans. Lynn, Shine and I walk from one phone place across the street to another across the street to another to compare non-existent International cell phone plans in the dripping humidity. I can’t take it anymore, I’m about to squander my entire first months pay and purchase the new 4G iphone, or… Giorgio Armani phone, I can’t decide. Instead we just head back to work to do more research on the matter and deal with it later. Turns out, the best deal is to get a cheap Korean plan and use a special code or calling card to call internationally. Or… get a smart phone and download Skype for $5 bucks a month and use that to call home, but then you would have to pay for the smart phone plus an additional fee for Internet. This is what I gather on the phone situation. Tomorrow I will make the purchase and sign the papers. I’ll let you know how it pans out. I guess cell phones are just a pain in the ass all over the world.

As for Internet, it has been one month and I still do not have this wonderful invention available for use within my humble abode. Is it 2010? I don’t care where I am, it’s the Interweb for Christ’s sake, and it goes everywhere. I was blessedly picking up a signal in one spot of my little studio for about two days, but that quickly ended. Internet will come soon though, I am sure of it. One small step at a time.

As for teaching I think I’m settling into and getting used to the routine… or lack there of. I have one particularly troublesome class of boys who I moved around the other day, I think they hated me for it at first. But then they behaved, so I enforced their positive working habits with candy of course, they will do anything for candy and hangman. ADHD Jenna is so cute I can’t stand it, silly Cindy has taken to patting my butt every time I walk by her, or walking her fingers up my back when I am helping another student. I discovered the “HelloKittee” culprit, writing all over the desk in blue permanent marker… Sally. And I can’t forget Kevin’s story about his last birthday where he made sure to thank his mother for “birthing him hard”. Yup. They close school for almost nothing, but tonight the last class of the evening is cancelled due to the World Cup. HUGE thing Here. Go Red Devils!!

Oh and PS- SPAVIS… you gave me my first ever case of the athlete’s foot. I knew you were too good to be true. Don’t worry though, I am taking care of this lovely fungus. For only 5,000 won- ughhh… first medical ish, in Korea. My epidermis always fails me.

SPAVIS.

The I-Chung weather report has been calling for rain for the past week and it has been nothing less than sunny and hot- maybe a few hours of overcast, but still... no rain. I guess that even on the other side of the world the Meteorologists still don't really have to know what they are talking about.

So this past weekend, our first with no work really, we were bummed by the prospect of rain so upon waking on Saturday morning, with our first ever Soju hangover (I am told these can last up to two days) we were really excited to see clear skies. We decide to go on an adventure and explore the area around us.

Task#1- Figure out the public transportation system. We decide to go to Asan, famous for it's hot springs, spas, botanical garden, large lake and raw fish restaurants; and only a 25min train ride away. When we get to the station, with an abnormal amount of stairs, we are told to take the subway, it's comes more frequently then the train. A man helps us purchase tickets at the machine and points to the track we need to wait on. We board the very nice, very clean, very spacious subway. Then the one other American in sight comes over to us to make sure we know what we're doing... because I guess from the looks of it we don't at all. He tells us we need to transfer. Thank you, nice man. Anyway, we make it to Asan.

Task#2- Where do we go and how do we get there? There is a rather large map with beautiful pictures of all the different tourist destinations; Buddhist temples, hot springs, waterfalls, spas!! I am so excited I want to go to every place on the map. We are bombarded by taxis everywhere we turn. We jump in one with no real plan. We manage to tell the guy, through excessive miming, that we want to swim, I think. He seems to get it and seems to know where we want to go... so, we are on our way. A lake? A hot spring? A spa? We're not quiet sure. But... we did bring our bathing suits! ^^ 20 mins and 20,000 won later we are dropped off, seemingly, in the middle of nowhere. When we look up, we see we are at ... SPAVIS spa paradise.

Let me just tell you a little bit about this experience: it is... interesting. pretty cool. definitely different. Once we pay our admission fee we are given a bracelet to wear with a number on it. The number will correspond to our locker numbers. A separate locker for our shoes of course, and then the main locker- in the giant locker room. The bracelet is used to scan, to unlock the lockers and we find out later, to charge things. Genius. So... the locker room and attached amenities; indoor spa with a steam room, a hot coal sauna, an even hotter coal sauna, and at least 5 or 6 hot baths filled with different aromatic things, jets or no jets. Of course we don't know exactly what these things are or what they do to you because we can't read what is says on each sign next to the baths. There are showers everywhere, and a massage room. It is very nice, and big, like a very expensive country club.... an expensive, nudist, country club. I always wanted to see what it would be like to experience a nudist colony. Now I know. Except, men and women are separated here, of course. Lynn and I feel modest with our bathing suits on. But outside... you can't have enough clothing on. I don't know if it is because of the sun or because outside men and women roam together. But jees... fully dressed, in the pool. I'm talking long sleeves and all. Not everyone of course, but most women are well covered. Now I need a shirt.

Outside there is a wave pool, water slides, more hot baths with minerals in them, a water park for kids, food stands, a lazy river, a bade pool and a fish therapy pool... we don't try this yet, but we definitely will at some point. Everyone MUST wear a life-vest also. We find this out by getting chased by a scantily clad lifeguard into the 4 foot deep wave pool. Common. But, we go with it, we're already here right. We obtain a life-vest and a bathing cap and go play. We looked awesome, sorry no pics- no cams.

Task#3- Getting home. We decide to try and catch a bus thinking it will be cheaper than the taxi, plus, we're not really sure how to get a taxi out here. The woman at the front desk kindly writes down the bus times for us and directs us to the nearest stop. After waiting 30mins for the bus to arrive we are promptly told 'no' by the driver. I don't know if there was just a miscommunication, something lost in translation, or if we needed a special card, but we didn't get on the bus. We have a good two hours of sunlight left, so.... we truck it. It was a nice scenic walk

in the country and at times I really felt like I was upstate New York- mountains in the distance, random shacks off the road, piles of tires and roaming chickens... and random roadside chopper/bar establishments. Eventually we hail a cab and get dropped off at the station. We make it back around 10pm missing the 'meet-up' dinner we were planning on attending. I'm pretty much shot anyway and plus, we have a year to meet people, right? Sunday consists of basking on the roof, reading and of course... Jack. xo

Jack

I am in love with a man named Jack, Jack Bauer.

Health Check

This is what happens when you smoke... in Korea.

5.29.10  

Yesterday we are taken to get our health check. Eyes, ears, chest, blood, urine, height, weight and…. bust measurements?! Odd. No hip or waist measurements, just… bust. I wonder why. The hospital is a tad on the dirty side, but; I guess that is what you get when you aren’t feeding millions into the healthcare system- but guess what, if you are sick and broke someone will actually take care of you! AND you won’t have to take out a loan or sell your sister if you happen to break a bone. That’s comforting. There is a porcelain hole in the ground of one of the bathroom stalls, I am told this is common but this is the first one I come across… in the hospital. BUT there is an above ground commode as well, and I opt for that one, it is 

hard enough aiming into the tiny cup they give me, but then again, what isn’t tiny? Oh, the needle, the only larger than American item I have come across so far. Abnormally and unnecessarily large. Figures.

6.02.10

I have been here two weeks.

 

The director of our school says that Lynn and I look the same….WE look the same? Really??? Ha.

We have also begun our first week of teaching. So far so good. We are given the books to teach from and a weekly syllabus so no lesson plans for us! Awesome. My favorite part… we get to give our kids English names if they can’t think of one themselves and don’t already have one! So far I have a few Jenna’s, a Cara, Sara, Jill, Jeff, JoAnna, Lynn, Lindsey, Rocco and Phil. Sorry- Eva and Rusty didn’t work out too well.  They have to like the name I suggest.

 

6 Year old Jenna needs some Adderall and Rocco and Phil need to be separated already, JoAnna looks just like Dora the Explorer, Sara is super smart, Cara is super stylish and Jeff is cute and nerdy. Oh, and Phil has highlights. And Cara gave me a gift of sweet yogurt nectar.

 

Lynn and I go out for some fried chicken and beer and stumble upon THIS right here.

 

 

We spend the rest of the night cheers-ing to: Obama, Hip-Hop (Eminem in particular), CSI Miami, American Idol…. and Lynn’s Russian Gangster Jujitsu boyfriend of course. I caaaan’t.

 

Oh. I also spot my first gay Korean couple. Very cool hair.

Lynn Arrives.

XO.

NO and then!

5.25.10
2:30pm

Made eggs in a frame this morning, got Subway for lunch (yes, there’s a Subway in my town), gave out some I heart NY tees to my co-workers and headed over to the Pyeongtaek campus again. Received my summer semester schedule today and after about 2 hours of trying to decipher it… I think it’s going to be good.

9:50pm

Home for the night, the short bus took about 45mins to travel the 20mins it needed to. I rented The Time Traveler’s Wife, I hope I don’t regret it, it looks like a sad one and it is compared to The Notebook on the back. Eh. Tomorrow. Lynn arrives.

And Thennnn...

Day 7- Last day of first week Aloneeee in Korea.
10:35am

I found a Himtoo hair this morning.

It is rainy and cold. Somewhere along the lines I missed that I was arriving at the BEGINNING of monsoon season, I thought I was just missing it. I hear something like spring peepers on steroids outside of my apt down by the little park every night, but no matter how hard I try I cannot see a single creature. I am starting to think it’s a sensor system hidden somewhere in the bushes. It is really loud. My hair has been doing something very odd; it has reverted back to when I was about 11 and going through puberty and becomes a big grease-ball within minutes after I wash it. Mean, mean joke. I don’t know if it’s the fancy new shampoo my hairstylist cousin gave me before I left, the water, or both. The water here seems to be really hard and leaves a nice white film on everything it touches. I’ve cleaned the bathroom twice with bleach in the one week I have been here. One week today. It seems like much longer. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad?

10:00pm

Not much actually occurs during my ‘official’ first day of training at the Pyeongtaek campus. I observe 2 of Andy Teacher’s classes and then Sean Teacher (this is what the students call us) makes me, surprise! Teach his class. I am totally unprepared and feel like a big asshole when I don’t know the answers to the simple reading comprehension questions. I had never even seen the book before! I mean common, not all of us are super quick. Then I get some food with Jessica Teacher and take the Avalon short bus, along with a few students back to my campus. All in all it was a decent first day of “official training”.

I am informed that the North has officially declared war on the South, although I don’t know just how credible my source is. I’m wondering if I should be panicking.

Approx. 48 hours ‘till Lynn arrives and I am definitely counting!! ^^

And Then...

So... I stumbled upon a public outdoor gym?!? Right next to the playground of course. Gym equipment bolted to the ground. I want to get a plant to welcome Lynn... or, an I Love Drugs tee shirt I found with a skull and cross bones and a little bow on it. I wonder what she would appreciate more.

On Saturday I go into work and for the first time feel somewhat productive there. I tested the new students for placement by asking simple questions and evaluating their conversational speaking ability. I also go out to lunch with all of my Korean co-workers... THAT was an experience. They were all concerned and surprised that I was able to eat the spicy food. They also gave me a fork, I was insulted. I didn't use it. I would have loved to photo document this excursion but considering I had NO IDEA where I was going or what was going on I didn't even have time to grab anything. The food was spicy though. I liked it. Made me sweat.

I made a friend! The guy from the airport, after facebooking back and forth for a while we discover that we live RIGHT next to each other. Weird coincidence. We meet up and he explains the whole public transportation system to me, where the train station is located, where I'M located and the bus and subway stops and where I can find the schedules. Awesome. He ALSO shows me where America is located- in Korea- aka the Osan Airbase (or right outside the gates anyway). I was in awe, all my displaced people, in one spot! But this is good to know about, I was able to obtain an an International phone card, in English, while there. Only $12 bucks for 3 hours and 20 mins, and they prefer the USD. I notice entire families walking around, apparently there is a school inside the base for all the kids.

When I get home I make myself some dumplings then run down to the baby blue pay phones in front of 7/11. So nice to hear voices from home! I am on the phone so long I consider dragging one of the plastic 7/11 chairs over to the booth. But then decide against it, I don't want to draw any more attention to myself, I already am the only foreigner in this town.

Day 4

Day 4

11:45am

I think the jet lag is laggin’.

Happy Day of Birth Buddha!

Oh Jesus I love you, and I love Buddha too.

3pm

Found a new area today. Fun. The sun was HOT and I wore a tank, I’m not sure if that is acceptable, I was feeling some looks. But that could also be because it seems as though I am THE only foreigner in this town. Came upon a small ceramic studio where an old lady was giving a woman a lesson on the wheel and a young girl was playing with some clay in the back… I tried very hard to communicate with her but no luck. Nothing in my translation book about it either. I’ll have to figure something out and go back. I love Clay. Saw some street vendors, bought some lettuce, a tomato, an onion and a rather skinny cucumber from an old man farmer- he didn’t seem too happy about it either. I don’t think he was a happy person in general; none of the farmer vendors seemed too happy. Oh, and I also somehow managed to set up an account to rent DVDs! Although it seems like I can probably watch all the English movies they have in about a week.

Stopped at the supermarket to pick up some more hangers and some salad dressing and when I was in there something strange occurred,  all of a sudden all the employees in the entire place started chanting in unison. One would yell something then they all stopped and said something back. This went on for about 5 mins. I really, really would like to know what that was all about.

 

Day 3

Day 3

5.20.10

Soon I will stop with the days… things are still new, I must document accordingly. Happy Day of Birth Dad!

I miss everyone.

Today I am going to Avalon Pyeongtaek- where I thought I was?? Tomorrow is a holiday but I don’t know what that means. I feel like I am in college again with my hot pot and ramen noodles, although the ramen noodles I’ve eaten here are spicy and better. I see lots of women gardening. Walking around with their big hats and rakes.

 Midnight:

Tomorrow is Buddha’s birthday, a Korean National holiday, no work. I found this out from the teachers at the other campus. They didn’t know I was coming. I met the head teacher, Andy from Scotland; he explained how things work to me. Usually you don’t know what’s going on until it’s happening, so, it was okay that he didn’t know I was coming. I observed some classes and then went to my first real Korean dinner… in Korea. It was pretty much giant pieces of thick bacon that you cook yourself, naturally. I went with Andy and his girlfriend Jessica, who is from Florida and teaches at a different Hagwan (private English language school). They are leaving in August and going to Taiwan.

 I also learned that PyeongTaek is about 300,000 people, not 10,000, like Madeline, my recruiter told me. Way off there, Maddy. AND the beach is pretty far- about an hour away, I won’t tell Lynn that ‘til she gets here ^^

Day 2

Day 2

5.19.10

12:45pm

Slept 13 hours. Woke up with severe anxiety and headache. Took a klonopin and some Advil and ventured out. I went to Dunkin Donuts because it was the only place open at 8:30am, the guy made me sit down so he can serve me my bagel and cream cheese… and instant coffee ‘Americano’. I ate and then proceeded back to the PC Bang armed with my phrase translation book, thank you Sara! I get on a computer for only 800 won/hr, under 1USD, F-you Kinko’s.

I found out the name of the card I need- Alien Registration. I won’t get it until I get a physical and I won’t get that until Lynn gets here so we can be brought together. Great. I also need that card to get Internet in my apt.

Next mission: Supermarket. Wowwwww. There is milk and cheese here too, who said they didn’t have milk?

Oh and GREAT NEWS!! Lynn is going to be here sooner than expected, she got her visa issuance number today!! The sun’s out.

10:15pm

Got home from my first day at work to find my cool sliding kitchen doors dividers missing, a table, 2 chairs and a closet in my apt. Of course being the New Yorker that I am I panic and quickly check to make sure everything is in place. Obviously someone other than myself knows the code to my door and I don’t really like that. Also, Lynn’s code must have been mysteriously changed because I went to go put her dishes away and couldn’t get in with the code on the paper I was given. Odd.

Work was uneventful because there was nothing for me to do. They are waiting for Lynn to get here so we can go over to the other school for orientation together; why did I have to come here first again? Anyway, my co-workers were all very nice and friendly. As a welcoming present I was given Starbucks and Dominos pizza. Ha. Oh and ‘cock’ aka coke.

On the way home I stop to buy some CHOCO wheatmeal natural biscuits. Delish.

 

Day 1

Day 1  5.18.10

6:30am

The flight was long but I slept most of the way so it really wasn't that bad at all.

BiBimBop for dinner and kimchi, broccoli, rice for breakfast, and yogurt of course. Oh and fruit with both meals. 

I sat next to a Korean-American guy, Steve, I think? Moved to the U.S. when he was 7 and hasn't been back since. From NJ, quit his job to come here and teach English. Actually, I think his name was Kevin, not Steve.

Customs line was long, and hot. I met an American guy from Ohio who is in the military; he went to school in Syracuse and has been here since August. He gives me his name and tells me to find him on facebook; he likes to host BBQ’s. He is the only foreigner I notice in the airport.

 

I finally get my luggage, change some money and I see him- a man holding a sign “Jade Giorgi… Welcome to Korea” wowwww. I’m here. I started to laugh, I’m not sure why. When I identify myself as Jade he grabs a bag and starts running, literally, out of the airport and to his car. I mean, I know I am slow, but he was FAST.

 

It is raining and dark and approx 4:30am by the time we leave Seoul Incheon International airport. I can’t see too much out of the windows during the hour-long drive. A young couple meet me in front of my new apartment building and take me up an entire 3 flights- so much for that high rise I was dreading, so that’s good. They tell me to choose a door, 301 or 304- I go with 301 on instinct. I don’t need a key to get into my apartment, only a code that I hope I don’t forget.

I am left to ‘rest’, and the woman tells me she will come back around 2 or 3pm. I can’t figure out how to change the time on my watch. I turn on my laptop and change the time zone before they leave.

My apartment is super cute and super Asian and super… wallpapered! Everything is brand new, the entire building is brand new and I am the first person to live here. That’s cool. Except, I have no food and I am hungry. Oh, and I have no toilet paper or soap. I am sad.

10:00am

I decide to take a shower, but quickly notice there is no hot water. Eh. I take a short nap, wake up, don’t know where I am. It is almost 9am so I throw on some jeans and sneakers, mission#1: Umbrella. Found. Along with soap, a bottle of water and some toilet paper- at a convenience store. Mission#2: Contact home. Tried 2 places for calling cards, no luck, all writing is in Korean. Then I proceed to follow “PC” sins up 5 flights in a random building, kind of creepy. I come upon a room with rows and rows of computers but can’t communicate my want to use one, I will come back with my book, I need food now anyway. Places are just beginning to open. I end up in a bakery type place, lots and lots of different sweet breads and pastries and things with hot dogs embedded in them?? The guy working speaks a little English and is happy to try and speak to me! I ask him about the Internet and he lets me use the lone computer in the corner that is playing music! Yes! Mission#2 accomplished. I write a short email home, I wish I can sit and write more but I feel like I shouldn’t be on the computer so I get off and buy a DELISH little sweet bread with yogurt and cream cheese in it and almond flakes on top. First thing I eat in Korea… BREAD. Who said there was no bread here!?

 

Oh, and I didn’t lock myself out. When I get back to my apt and shut the door behind me the lock plays a little song.

 

1:10pm

The woman should be here soon. It feels late already, I wonder if I am jet lagged. I’m very hungry but I don’t want to leave because I am scared I might miss her. I don’t think I have ever been alone this long in my entire life. The wallpaper pattern looks like Lynn’s curtains that Himmy scratched. I love you Himtoo, oh yes I dooo, you’re not near me and I’m very blueee. (I’m pretending the panda travel pillow is youuuu).

 

1:45pm

I think I might be in purgatory.

 

6:30pm

 I lay on my bed for hours reading Loose Girl waiting for the woman to come back. By 4:30 I realize the only thing I ate all day was that tiny pastry. I figure the Internet café I noticed earlier would be open so I leave with email/facebook/food mission. I complete all three and end up with a box of fried chicken take out, mmm. Of course, she is here when I return. She is unloading kitchen stuff: utensils, a pot, a pan, giant scissor and knife I can’t open because I need a giant scissor or knife to open, electric hot pot and a rice cooker of course. Lynn, 304 IS your apartment! Awesome! Like on Friends, the show, except, we’ll need more friends!

Anyway… she tells me the Internet will take a while. And I can’t get a cell phone without a card nobody seems to know the name of in English.

But… I saw the school I will be working at and got my desk and found out that Lynn and I are going to be the only American, or, native English speaking teachers at our school. Innnnteresting.

 

Oh, and the hot water situation has been solved, I have to press a button, duh.

And I saw a pig hanging in the street. And I saw a small car accident. It seems as though there are little or no traffic laws and people park where they please- on sidewalks mostly. Lynn, are you on your way yet?