Just Another Blog

Life is rolling along at a quick and steady pace on this side of the world. School is still on holidays, so I am enjoying the lazy hours of the english camp daily routine. Even though there is a little more work in the lesson plans, I am enjoying teaching so much more because of the small class sizes and lack of textbook content. I also get to leave school pretty much anytime after lunch, so I am home most days mid afternoon, which is not a bad work schedule to have. Home just in time to curl up in bed, in the sunshine, for an afternoon nap.

I finished last week with my grade 5/6 class, and I am so pleasantly surprised to admit I actually miss teaching them. There were only 7 kids, but they were really good students and so keen to learn. I enjoyed making lessons fun for them and coming up with things to teach (listen to me, wow!). A highlight was definitely the lesson on "My Crazy Invention". They had a few perimeters to make a poster with a drawing and explanation of their inventions to present to the class. Some of the best ones were the Rocket Bed, which takes you to the bathroom without ever having to walk on your own 2 feet. The Classroom Robot, which goes to school for you and records your lesson and plays it to you over headphones while you sleep at night. A Brain Chip to make you smarter and a soccer ball with a video camera in it to solve any close calls on the pitch. The kids really enjoyed it, and so did I. Another lesson was all about family. I had to include a picture of one of my students family trees. Her name is Jess and she is a great artist and so detailed. It took her about half an hour to present this to the class!

Outside of school, I am in partial hibernation mode because it is so damn cold! I know I am from Canada and should be used to it (I am reminded of that over and over again, when I whine about the cold) but I still hate it. The only saving grace, and I admit it's a big one,  is that at least a Korean winter spares all the snow. We get the biting cold but there is no traipsing through snow and slush and ice the way we get it at home.

My last trip to Seoul was to SEMA, Seoul's Museum of Modern Art. After a minor detour from getting lost I stumbled across the gallery and went to see a Marc Chagall exhibit. Both the gallery and the exhibit were worth the trip, minus the herds of people I had to compete with to sneak a peak at the paintings. The exhibit was broken up in a really interesting way and I really enjoyed my afternoon soaking it all in. A little dose of western culture while soaking up everything I can in the east.

I had a sad goodbye with Odya maybe just over a week ago, but have found someone new to replace her already. In a bizarre turn of events, I am now cat sitting a total strangers cat for a few weeks. Although not quite as spunky and cute as Odya, this one is little to no maintenance (if you don't count all the vacuuming I'm doing from her endless shedding). Layla just sits around and sleeps and eats and well.... you get the picture. Not much activity, but still someone to come home to. Seems like the word has spread that I like cats and am available to cat sit in Korea. I REALLY need Garry to get here, before I turn into the crazy spinster Korean cat lady!

Last weekend in Osan was a really fun one. I had to tear myself away from the warmth of my pad to meet up with some other teachers for a local pub crawl on Friday night but it was totally worth it. We had a 2 drink minimum rule per place but that got lost by the way side. The evening ended with my first trip to a noriebang (karaoke), since I have come to Korea. Singing songs in the classroom with the kiddies has obviously desensitized me (that and alcoholic lubrication), cause I had no difficulty belting out tunes till 6am with the crew I was with.

Saturday was a slow day but it had some major highlights. This was the weekend of our annual girls weekend trip and some of my besties at home were at Blue Mountain for a chillout (yeah right) getaway. I was feeling a little hazy but the gals were quick to remind me, the hair of the dog would solve my problems! I sat around with them on many occasions during the weekend over drinks, via skype. For anyone who doesn't know (which I am pretty sure the whole world must), I am scrabble obsessed. I love scrabble, and miss playing it so much. So in the early hours of the morning, via skype, we managed to somehow finagle a cross continental game with web cams, screen shots  and giggles all around. I was in heaven. Even though it sucked not being able to actually be there with the girls, I felt so amazingly connected with them all weekend long, from a world away.

And best for last and by far the most exciting piece of news to report: I booked a plane ticket to China. After sitting around Osan over Christmas while everyone else was gallivanting through Asia, I am sooooo excited for my turn! I was humming and hawing about the price but finally just took the plunge. Ticket prices almost doubled because I am going over a big holiday but as I was cleverly reminded (thanks for giving me the shove I needed Joanna) how many opportunities in my life will I have to visit China, on the biggest event of their calendar, the CHINESE NEW YEAR? Exactly. So I have a ticket. I leave in 2 weeks and am bubbling with anticipation. The countdown is on.

Tourist For A Day

I spent 12 hours touring, shopping, riding and eating through Seoul yesterday. It was absolutely exhausting but really fun. I woke up early and found my way to Gwanghwamun Station, exit 6, just passed rushed hour so I scored a seat on the hour or so subway journey there, from Osan. After a short little wander through the streets, I found the right ticket booth and for 10,000 won I bought a day pass to the Seoul City Tour Bus.

The bus is hop on, hop off style and it was so cold they even threw in a free blanket with my ticket. There are 27 different stops on the tour and many of them were insignificant (like certain hotels stops, the USO, the American Army Base) But others were really impressive. It was a whirlwind tour and I actually only got off in one spot (that was my goal for the day), but I was mostly after just driving around, observing and getting a feel for the lay of the land in Seoul. My mission was successful.

Seoul is like Paris in that it has a river dissecting it, running east to west, it is called the Han River (okay so maybe that is where the similarity ends, but its something). It also reminded me of Montreal because it has a small mountain in the middle of the city offering amazing views. Namsan, the name of the mountain is a little higher than Mount Royal, and um, maybe Seoul is a little bigger than Montreal (over 10x's bigger!). I made it to the top of the mountain, but didn't have time to stop and enjoy the views, the tour bus ran a tight ship. That is now on my list of things to do when I am back next. There is a cable car to take you up and and on the tip of the mountain is N'Seoul Tower, a mini Korean CN Tower, with restaurants and view points in the bulb. Next trip, for sure.

There are some areas in Seoul that are crushed with people climbing over top of each other, but there are other areas covered in green with huge sprawling avenues. We passed palaces and gardens that were really spacious and lush. So even with a population of over 10 million people in Seoul, there were areas that seemed roomy. The prime minister of South Korea Kim Hwang-sik lives right in Seoul, at the base of one of the smaller mountains, and the residence is on expansive grounds sprawled out in every direction.

My main destination for the day was Myongdong. It is pretty much the shopping capital of Seoul and I am ashamed to say I have been in Korea for over 2 months and still hadn't been there. I made up for it. I had to include a photo of all my goods. NOT because they are so uniquely Korean, but because of the amount I paid for them. I'm sure it was a combo of after Christmas sales, my keen eye for a bargain and the fact that Korea is dirt cheap but....I paid 80,000 won for EVERYTHING you see laid out in the photo. And just in case the picture isn't detailed enough I have to spell it all out:

1. Black skinny pants

2. Cream colored pants

3. Grey leggings

4 Long and beautiful teal beaded necklace

5. Big chunky red ring

6. Beige knit sweater

7. Long sleeve white shirt

8. Hot pink bra

9. Grey bra

10. Black & White striped scarf

11. Knit touque with pretty flower on the side :)

12. Blanket (ok I didn't buy the blanket but it was part of my ticket price for the bus tour and I felt compelled to include it with all my other wares)

So exactly how much is 80,000 won in CDN $'s you ask? Wait for it........ seventy bucks!!!! Not bad, eh? The black pants alone were less than $3.oo... RIDICULOUS!!! I am in a shoppers heaven!

I stopped in a random spot to grab some food for lunch and it turned out I was in a Post-It paradise...honestly, only in Asia. It was a little lunch place plastered with Post-Its from wall to wall. Another of the soooooo so so so many reasons why I love Asia. For lunch I had a kimchi udon soup. Koreans know their soups. I eat soup everyday at school for lunch and even at home soups are a go-to for me. I have yet to try a soup here I haven't liked. The one at the Post-It resto was great. Spicy, filled with both recognizable and unrecognizable things and hearty (cabbage, noodles, shrimp, clams, tofu, onions...). Yum yum pop.

After a few hours in Myongdong I hopped back on my tour bus and whizzed through the rest of Seoul. By the time I got back home, it had been an 11 hour excursion. With the exception of Odya (the kitten I'm sitting this week) going a little mental from loneliness and toilet papering my kitchen, it was a great day!!! Can't wait for my next return to Seoul. Maybe an art gallery on Saturday or back up to Namsan Mountain.

Sleepy Vay-Cay

I am exactly half way through my week of holidays and have NOTHING of interest to report. Most of my friends are either working or have gone on a trip somewhere, so it's pretty quiet in my world.

I do however have a houseguest. Her name is Odya, and even though I feel like I am cheating on Minky, I love her very much :) It's amazing how nice it is having something else alive being with me at home. I keep meaning to get a plant, but a little kitten is way more fun!!! I only have her for a few more days while friends are off visiting Busan in the south of Korea.

I am taking Korean classes this week and they are so-so. Monday started off rough. The five day curriculum was shortened to three and changed from learning Hangeul (Korean), to Korean Culture. WTF? I am SUBMERSED in Korean culture everyday of my life right now, I want to learn how to read and maybe speak a little. A few of us complained so day two and three were definitely an improvement. No more Korean folklore, instead, I learned how to order take out food and say my address, as well as usefull commands in the classroom. The last half hour today was dedicated to the alphabet, which is what I wanted all along, so now I have to actually study and practise it. Technically class goes till the end of the week, but I am skipping tomorrow to go day tripping to Seoul and be a tourist.

I treated myself out for dinner this evening. It was awesome, as almost all of my Korean food experiences have been (minus the pig intestines incident). The lady asked me (mimed actually) if I wanted spicy and I said (gestured) only just a little. When I took my first bite it almost blew my top off! In the soup was tofu, doek bokki, veggies, pork dumplings, and clear noodles. The rest is the typical assortment on banchans.

FYI. The purple stuff I posted for my Mom to see, it's not Korean. I made kapusta. Polish cabbage dish with onions and ham bits. Not as good as yours Mom but I still enjoyed it.

And just to add a quick KOREAN TIDBIT. Most people don't take their jackets off in restaurants to eat here. This annoys me, I can't eat with my jacket on. Koreans mostly eat SOOOO quickly, as well. Tonight at dinner I counted 4 other tables that came in after me and left before me. I guess not taking jackets on/off adds to their overall in & out time. I used to eat really really really slowly growing up. I am not as bad now, but when I come home I am going to inhale my food compared to everyone else. Bad habit to pick up, I really hope I don't.

It's a lazy night, Odya is sprawled out on my arms and my computer, purring like a lioness and she is making me sleeping just looking at her. I think it's time to grab my book and head to bed.

Holiday Recap

To sum it up as painlessly as possible, the holidays just aren't the same without friends and family. I made a trade off and I am so happy where I am right now, so I guess it's okay, but the holidays pretty much sucked without mom's home cooking and waking up with my family on Christmas morning, and of course, without my other half, Garry.

This is my third Christmas away from home. First Oz in 1999 with Jessica, then England in 2003 with Jay and now 2010, flying solo in Seoul to add to my list. Goal: Christmas 2011 at home. I heard the same complaints over and over from friends at home being run off their feet, and dashing from one place to the next, making the holiday rounds. I don't think you really know what you have or appreciate it until it's not there.

I spent most of Christmas weekend avoiding any thoughts of Christmas. Christmas Eve was spent with a bunch of almost-strangers but it was really nice. A teacher had a dinner party with lobsters and wine and cheese and other yummy treats. Kudos to him, he was an amazing host. At the end of the night he actually sent everyone home with a tupperware of soup he whipped up with lobster leftovers, it was amazing! I was so impressed, especially because you have to realize most kitchens here are about the size of a clothes closet. He worked magic in there.

I was up at the crack of dawn on Christmas, as I usually am, but this year for different reasons. I met up with some friends and we caught a bus to Phoenix Park, a ski resort. The goal was to spend the day on the mountain but unfortunately for a multitude of reasons we didn't make it out till after 3 (the joys of not knowing where you're going, and being with a very large group trying to get organized). By the time we got out, the slopes were almost closed for 2 hrs of grooming from 5 - 7. Great timing. It was also almost -20, frigidly cold, and crappy conditions. I made it back out for a bit of night skiing but the enjoyment level wasn't really worth toughing it out.

We had rented an apartment, so a girlfriend and I curled up and spent Christmas evening just chatting and lounging till the rest came back and had some wine and food and cuddled up for bed. I say cuddled cause the sleeping arrangements were Korean style. No beds just little matts, pillows and duvets. We had 2 apartments and in ours there were 8 people. Two Korean girls scored a private room and the rest of us snuggled into the lounge. In Korea, the heating system, called ondol , is done through the floors, so sleeping on the floors is actually warm and really comfortable.

Sunday was spent missioning it back to Osan. Our shuttle wasn't leaving till 6 but that wouldn't put me back in Osan till after 10, so a few of us made our own way back. The weather over the weekend was so unbelievably cold and I was chilled to the bone. I came home to a bottle of nice wine, leftover soup (so appreciated!!!) from Christmas Eve, and a Christmas skype date with Garry. A nice way to wrap up the weekend (xxoxoxoxox G).

NEW YEARS.......the love hate relationship with what to do on NYE. Most of the teachers I know here spent New Year's away, in a hot place. Osan didn't exactly seem like the most happening option so I legged it into Seoul for another marathon night.

I went to Hongdae which is a really amazing part of Seoul, bubbling with people and night life. There are food stalls, shops, bars, restaurants, cafes, dvd bangs, noriebangs (karaoke rooms), and big clubs too. And most things stay open until the next day. Pick your poison and I'm sure there is something here to cater to it. Because I live so far on the subway line from central Seoul, when I come in at night, I make the commitment to stay there till at least 6:30 the next morning when the subway re-opens. It is pretty disconcerting.

So the night was mayhem, as NYE in any city usually is. It's fun to add to my list of places to ring in the new year, but all in all it was nothing to write home about. Shots, drinks, bar hopping, dancing.....and eventual exhaustion. Luckily my partner in crime for the evening was on the same energy plateau I was and we called it quits at the same time. By 4am we quaffed down a delicious end of the night shawarma and hustled into a dvd bang to kill a few hours before we headed back to Osan. (DVD Bangs are just like living rooms you can rent with movie selections). We tried to choose the longest movie we could come up with (there were no Lord of the Rings movies so we opted for Titanic) and curled up to sleep.

A three hour nap can do wonders for the body, so even though we felt a little worse for wears, we made it home by 10am on New Years Day. After a hearty breakfast and another nap I woke up just in time to ring in the NY at home. I spent most of the Torontonian new year with Garry, but also managed to squeeze in skypes and phone calls with a handful of others back home.

All in all, I made it through the holidays. Fun at times, but I am pretty glad their over. I have a mandatory week off from school because the building is closed down. The timing is crappy cause I am also enrolled in afternoon Korean classes, the same week. So technically, I am spending my week off in another school. Seems like I just can't get enough. But I am looking forward to a few trips to Seoul, hopefully some shopping and 9 consecutive sleep ins!

PS. All these pictures are in reverse order! Argh! Too lazy to switch, sorry.

T'was Just Before New Year....

I am in the last hour of work before my 9 day vacation starts and the school is pretty much deserted. I should just go home but am hanging on for just a little bit longer. It's 1:50 p.m. Less than 12 hours to go till 2011. My plan is a little vague as usual, but it will definitely include a late night in Seoul waiting for the trains to open back up early in the morning. I'm sure it'll consist of food at some point, then heading to Seoul Plaza, which is like a big open square in front of City Hall. There is skating there and probably food stalls and drink and thousands of people and a big countdown till the ball drops at 12. I am prepared for mayhem, and expect nothing less.

When things die down in Seoul Plaza we're moving to Hongdae, for night of dancing till dawn. I haven't been out dancing in Korea yet and although I am prepared for horrendous cheesy music, I am also really looking forward to it.

Strange Korean Fact: Delivery Food.
On countless occasions outside doors in my building and sometimes even outside stores in the streets are stacks of dirty dishes and even silverware. I had been totally perplexed as to what the deal was. This week, because the 1000 or so students have been off on holidays and the winter camp kids are only here in the morning, there are no school lunches made. I guess no one here packs a lunch so we have ordered everyday for lunch. Slowly the pieces fit together.

Delivery food arrives in ceramic soup bowls and glass plates with silverware (chopsticks and spoons, knives don't really fit into Korean cuisine), and the odd time a huge pot full of soup WITH a gas burner to keep it warm. Delivery food is such an art here. Koreans love their side dishes, banchan, so there are dozens of little tin dishes or big tupperwares of mushrooms, kimchi, fishy bits, veggies, pickled pieces and other unrecognizable things. Everything is consumed and as easy as 1-2-3 the dishes just sit outside and later in the afternoon the delivery dude (always on a motorcycle with huge bins tied to the back) comes back to collect his wares. Almost no waste. Great system.

Just to add to the fast food topic. I can't possibly go without explaining what is sitting on my desk as I type. It took me an hour to attack it and eventually figure out what it even was. After I ate my massive lunch (I think the teachers at my school have a secret plot to make me fat because food is ALWAYS appearing on my desk), a take out pop cup appeared. The straw was bent and crumpled and somewhat poking out of it, but it contained, at least on the top layer, small irregular shaped battered balls, with a thick red syrup drizzled on top. I picked it up and the bottom 3/4's was definitely liquid but the top was food, in a drink. (Picture the little yoghurt containers with a clear lid full of granola) But I wasn't sure what it all was? Gravy? Cola? Something sweet? Savory? I am soooo sad I dont have my camera today and will make it my mission to find this again somewhere. I eventually built up the nerve to sip it and it's coke, and on top is popcorn chicken with a spicy sauce. Weirdest combo ever.

Okay, it's just before 3. I've clocked my hours. I'm done, I'm out of here! Vacation time...here I come!

Happy New Year to all and to all a good night!!!!!

P.S. One more thing I have to include. I got on an empty bus to school this morning. Two stops in the driver pulled over and in Korean and sign language said he'd be back in 5 minutes, he was just going to grab a coffee. I was early, no problem. Then he popped back on the bus and proceeded to gesture and ask if I wanted one too. Amazing. I love Korea. Oh ya, and I bought new ear muffs yesterday at the market for a dollar. It's like having 2 kittens curled up on my ears they are so warm.

Keeping Busy Before Christmas

Last weekend ended up being great. It didn't go exactly to plan, but that was probably for the best. I was humming and hawing about staying in Friday night since I had a lot lined up for the rest of the weekend, but I forced myself to be social. I met up with some other teachers to go to a "house party", here in Osan. Since houses in this country are hard to come by and english teachers are usually shacked up in the ghetto, the party resembled the kind we used to throw in our dorm rooms at uni.

The Korean wine was freely flowing. I wish I had a photo, speaking of university days, my wine was poured to me in a plastic freakin' measuring cup! I guess desperate times, call for desperate measures (pardon the pun!) It was a Christmas potluck party, not quite like the ones we throw at home, our hostess was in her PJ's with reindeer antlers on and the only seating area was sitting cross legged on the floor or cheek to cheek on the bed. Classy, n'est pas? Not that I'm complaining, it was fun. But, there are definitely some odd folks in the small circuit of teachers here, it made for a fun and colorful evening.

When I got home I had a post party skype date (which I heard was pretty amusing for Garry considering the shape I was in), so when my alarm rang Saturday morning I was feeling a little worse for wares. I had a Christmas lunch in Suwon with Gezina and her friends and a splitting headache from the Korean poison I was drinking last night, that was begging me to go back to bed. I think this may be my first hangover in Korea. Not bad considering I live in a country that would give England a run for their money on alcohol consumption and public drunkeness.

I made it to lunch and luckily the Korean BBQ re-energized me back to my normal self. I was included in a Secret Santa with a bunch of relative strangers and we had SUCH a lovely afternoon. It was a beautiful mix of people from Korea, S.A, Oz and North America. Lunch turned into coffee and then strolling and a little shopping. My original plan was to venture back to Seoul for a big night out but luckily one of the girls bailed and we decided to postpone till January.

I was so pleased that I was able to fully enjoy my Saturday, wear myself out, and have the guilty pleasure of heading home around dusk and crawling back into my PJ's and having an early night in. SUCH a better option in the state I was in, rather than traipsing around Seoul on another drinking binge unaware of where I would eventually lay my head to sleep (IF I lay my head to sleep) until the subway opens up again in the morning to take me back home.

Sunday was another great day. I took the bus for the first time into Seoul and though a little steeper in price (a whopping $3, as opposed to the usual $1 on the subway), it was worth its weight in gold for the comfort of sitting the whole way, no stops and a door to door trip time of about 45 minutes to Nambu Station, in somewhat central Seoul. Costco was the main purpose of heading into Seoul. It 's supposed to be a foreigners delight because there is a lot of western brands there, for a little taste of home. But......not sure it was quite worth it. I got peanut butter and cheese, my 2 objectives, but like most costco trips, I walked out with WAY more than I needed. And UNLIKE most Costco trips, I didn't have a car to walk to in the parking lot. And if you think Costco's at home is busy......this one was insane. As much as I love Korea and it's inhabitants, common courtesies of letting people get past you, or saying excusing me when they almost knock you over, are unheard of, (old grandmothers, called Ajumma's here, are the WORST culprits of this, they're ruthless). Add shopping carts, whole family shopping expeditions, 3 floors of stuff to buy, 10 minute cues for the escalator to get from one floor to the next and you have the perfect recipe for a shopping trip from hell. I think that may have been my first and last trip to Costco in Korea.

Our next destination in Seoul was a much more pleasant one. I went to Itaewon, another westernized part of Seoul, for the afternoon with Gezina. Itaewon is a city district, catering to foreigners, packed with bars and restaurant and shops advertising "big sizes". We shopped the dozens of market stalls and just wandered around until we pitstopped at an Irish Pub for a lunch of bangers and mash. I love exploring new parts of Seoul. It seems every weekend offers something new to do. As I've said before, this experience in Korea is amazing. Not only do I work and get a paycheck, and have a wonderful little place to call home, but I also still feel like I am travelling. Everyday and every place opens up new adventures to have and new people to meet. Happiness.

This week I have something going on pretty much every night leading up to Christmas. It's a defence tactic to keep me from getting homesick at the holidays, but also it seems like fun things to do keep popping up around all me!

Only a few more days till Christmas!!

Just a Blog

It's Thursday, I'm home, I'm bored and I'm blogging.

The school year here is set up really differently compared to at home. Next week we finish for winter vacation (I run english camps, I don't get all the vacation time the kiddies do). Then there is almost 2 months off, the students come back for a week to finish their academic year, have about a week off for Spring Break and March 2nd a fresh new year begins. They took their "final exams" about 2 weeks ago, so pretty much everything from now until March is pointless, especially with the grade six's because they graduate to middle school, leaving elementary behind. They are already too big for their britches. I had a day of grade six's today, and wow, what a handful. It is so tough not to take it personal when I am standing in front of 35 kids and only a small selection are paying attention. Sometime I wish I could strangle some of the kids. I think the system is somewhat to blame though because classes are so broken up from here till the end of the school year and in fact, who cares if they pay attention because marks are in. I don't blame them but it still makes it difficult to run a class.

Saying that, I've been trying to do some Christmas fun stuff with them. At the beginning of each of my 22 classes I have shown them a video of my getting "Elfed", and it's been such a hit. I hope this link works:

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/uPQfsuy2UErbQ4K9PqQ3

and this one:

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/XbCVAYq2Ruszr9QInVT9

At first they don't really know what to make of it and then questions start coming out, "Is this Alex Teacher?" When I answer yes, it's Alex Teacher, they start convulsing in fits of giggles. Some of the kids believe it's me, but some just think we all look the same, so it can't possibly be me! I love it.

I brought my camera into school today and started taking a few pictures of some of my students. It was only grade five & six today so next week I will take some of the little guys. During winter camp I am teaching grade one & two and I think I will be doing daily photos shoots these kids are going to be so damn cute :)

One more work day till the weekend. Tomorrow should be a pretty easy day. I have a few options for plans tomorrow night, but I haven't decided what to do yet. Saturday afternoon I have a Christmas lunch and Secret Santa with Gezina's friends in Suwon. Then I am off to Seoul on another evening adventure with a different group. I am somehow spending the night in Seoul, but NOT in a DVD bang the way I did last weekend. Worst case scenario I am staying in a jimjilbang, but I will be with Lana, a friend from Toronto who has lived here for over a year, so I am not worried. Sundays' big event is CostCo. I haven't been yet, but it seems like a pretty big event for foreigners here to stock up on delicacies from home. My list consists of cheese and crackers and nutella. Such an easy girl to please.

That's it for today. I'm off to work on more lesson plans for winter camp.

DAD: Hope this post straightened out the time line a little. It was written & posted on thursday evening, my time. And all the plans I am talking about are for this coming wknd, the 18th & 19th. Love ya!