Oh goodness, the ups and downs

So, I'll start by telling you a funny story from this morning. Now, yesterday from afternoon on was terrible, and I do not want to relive that. However, something stemming from last night happened this morning, but since I'd had sleep in between then and now, it was humorous to me.
So, I got on the bus this morning, on time and all that jazz. I sat down, opened my purse to get my Zune out (a lady in front of me was popping her gum), and there was chocolate ALL OVER my purse. Yes, that's right....chocolate. Last night, I had bought these chocolate covered hazelnuts for comfort food when I was feeling bad. I left them in my purse last night...I keep my purse on the floor....my apartment has heated floors...do the math. So yes, there was melted chocolate all over everything in my purse. It was quite funny actually, but a little ironic that the food I bought as comfort food was actually causing me more trouble.
On to other things. I got an email last week about an extra teaching opportunity through the district (the only other legal way for us to make money here) and so I replied right away, but 4 other people beat me to it. I was disappointed, but I continued on with whatever. The next day, Julie told me about a teaching opportunity at her school, which was more money for less work. I was loving the idea of that, so I talked with Jenny about it, and got lined up to teach there. Then today, two days later, my school asked me to teach an extra class. Lol. This kind of stuff just really cracks me up....when it rains, it pours. All that to say, I'm going to be able to make money to come home and visit this summer! Yay! I'm pretty stinkin' excited about that. And yes, I'm giving up the freedom of my Saturdays...but I'm ok with that...I think.

Frustration...

In Korea, I've come to the conclusion that it's assumed that if you are a teacher, you do not have a life outside of school. This is completely ridiculous because it's impossible to plan anything outside of school without them walking all over it.
Take today for example. It's 4:20 (10 minutes before I leave for the day), and the teacher sitting across from me tells me that the teacher who sits next to me, who doesn't even teach English, wants us to help her with a speaking test. This test is supposed to be AFTER 7th period....7th period is the after school period that takes place on Thursdays. So this period would start at 4:40...(if you're a mathematician, you've already discovered that 4:40 is 10 minutes AFTER I am free to leave for the day. The fabulous thing about this is that I'm having a bunch of people over to my house for dinner tomorrow. Insert sarcasm. So, the 7ish people that I've told to come to dinner at my house, I now need to try and get ahold of to tell them that I either A: can't make them the dinner I promised, or B: make the dinner considerably later than promised. Great thing about this is...well, I'm done...there is no great thing about that.
Frustration.

Organization and Pre-planning: Not One of Korea's Strong Points!

So, my day today did not start out well. I woke up when my alarm went off, and I somehow convinced myself in my half-conscious state that it was Saturday. So, I went back to sleep for another hour and a half. I woke up about a half hour before I was supposed to be at school. Now, I usually leave for school about 45 min. to an hour before school in order to catch a bus there on time. The bus itself only takes about a half hour, but the waiting for a bus can be tricky at times. So, this morning, when I woke up at 8:00, I was thinking "Last night, Courtney and I were both saying 'Oh gosh, I need to go to bed'.....now what was I thinking that for...what do I have going on today....??" Then it hit me. It's Monday. Ugh. So, I fumbled down my dangerous stairs and made my way to my bathroom. When I got ready, I knew I would have to take a taxi in order to be there a half hour late, like I had told my teacher when I called him. So, I hopped in a taxi, and told him my school. Along with every other taxi driver in Cheonan, he did not know where it was. So he, of course, took the time to enter it into his little GPS, and then the WHOLE way to my school, he was rambling on about how he is just not sure of where my school is. It was pretty funny...and I got to school about 20 minutes late, which all things considered was NOT bad.
When I got to my school, I found out that I still do not have a schedule. Now, I can do this "fly by the seat of your pants" thing for about a week....but it's exhausting having to constantly rush to a class every time someone calls and says "You're supposed to teach this class...come now."

On a different note, I had a really good experience last week at Bible Study. We've been studying the Old Testament, and it'd been a few weeks since we'd had Bible Study because of Hal being gone. So, we got there this week, and we just talked about why we come to this Bible Study, what God was doing in our lives, and what we were struggling with spiritually. Normally I hate conversations like this, because I feel like everyone is just going to analyze everything I say. However, this was a really positive experience, and we all got to really share things that were happening in our lives. It was also a bit comforting, because it seems like most of my foreigner friends here also struggle with finding a routine with God, getting life balance in order, etc. It's funny how going to a different country will throw you off kilter! Anyway, we're taking a break from the OT and studying John for a while. It'll be good to have something that's a bit easier to chew for a little while. Even though I was really enjoying being challenged by the OT, I feel like I have more to contribute to the Bible Study when I feel like I understand the scripture better!
So, all that to say, Bible Study was good, and quite encouraging. And now, I am SO hungry (lack of breakfast due to extra sleep), so I'm going to go to lunch now. Yay for not having a 4th block class and for being able to go to lunch early! :)

And the Whole Office Cheers....for Coffee!

So, today has been a day that I've wished I brought my journal with me to school. #1 because I don't teach today, #2 because I didn't have internet for a large portion of the morning, and #3 because there has been so much going on, it's hard for me to just mentally process all of it.
This morning started out with me being SO tired because last night I came to find out that the pictures I'd put together last semester as an introduction were nowhere to be found. I stayed up late looking for pictures to use for my presentation, knowing in the back of my mind that if I didn't put it together, I'd have to teach today and would not have anything prepared. So I finally got out of bed, putzed around and got ready, then headed downstairs. I didn't have any milk, so I thought I'd just go grab some kimbap at the GS 25 (like a convenience store, a gas station with no gas) that's attached to our building. I love that GS25....it seems to have everything I need in it...any sort of random groceries that you'd need last minute, my morning kimbap, an ATM, a place to charge my bus card....everything. I went down this morning and it was closed....not just closed....like shutting down. I just love how they do things here with businesses. They just close down without any forewarning, and we're just left to figure something else out. So, I went on, without breakfast, thinking surely my bus would come before I could go grab something somewhere else....which it didn't....I sat there for about 15 minutes waiting for my bus. Good times.
So, I get to school today and realize just how clueless I am at this point. See, in Korea, they like to play office swap at the beginning of every year, and the teachers just all get moved to different offices...maybe it's for co-worker dynamics...I don't know. Anyway, there had been some hussle and bustle about where my office would be up until today. I didn't know where to go, whether I'd be teaching or not, and I now no longer know even half of the staff at our school! I called my head teacher only to realize that there was a meeting starting and I was unaware. So I rushed off to the library, sat through a meeting full of stuff that I didn't understand, and then found out that I would be placed in the office on the 1st floor, where i was sure to be lost and confused. My head teacher is now on the 5th floor...great. I also found out that until who-knows-when, I'm not teaching...I'm not teaching at all today. Of course I'm not teaching at all today, because I stayed up all night getting ready to teach! haha.
I also decided today that the IT guy who works for our district must HATE his job....everyone gets jumbled around and then they expect him to set up their internet and printers and all that at the drop of a hat...and as he was in our office, his phone rang at least 20 times, no joke! That poor guy....I wanted to give him a pat on the back, but he didn't have time. :P
So this whole "new teachers" thing...it's like being the new foreign teacher all over again. I'm this novelty that all the new teachers are staring at, wondering how on earth they're going to communicate with me. The teacher sitting next to me said something to the effect of "I want to communicate with her, but can't speak English" earlier...the English teacher that sits on the other side of her was just like "she understands." Which I do....it's just always an interesting process at the beginning!
Alright, one of the funniest parts of the day was this: the teacher sitting next to me held out a packet of coffee and offered it to me...then someone else saw and was like "Oh....you have coffee??" So then she just started handing out coffee to everyone who wanted one, and the whole office just lit up with excitement. I think it was just what they needed in their day. But they were all just going on and on about coffee! Yay coffee!! Haha...it was great, and definitely made me smile. It made me feel like someone knows how coffee makes me feel! :)
Oivey, I think I'm going to end this for now....my brain is a little scattered for the time being. Maybe I will be able to study some Korean later....do something productive with my time!

Nothing to do with Korea

So, this has nothing to do with Korea, but I just had to say it. It is constantly amaazing to me how music can move people. I am always in awe of the power of music, both in the little things and the big things. These past few days, it's been lots of little things, but as songs from my "past" have come up, I have flooded over a number of emotions felt during the times of listening to those songs the most, and thought through many memories associated with those songs. The song that triggered this post is an Album Leaf song called Streamside. It's nothing special really, just simple instrumental music. However, it used to be the ringtone on my phone for a while, both for text messages and for my wake up alarm. So first of all, this song reminds me strictly of the US. I picture myself being in my room in that crazy house on 97th St, Isabel at my side, waking up for another day of driving, driving, driving, then teaching, teaching, teaching. All of the people who were strong influences in my life at that time pour into my head, showing up in both positive and negative form. Now, this song is only one of about 20 that has given me this sort of experience in the past week. It's interesting, because I put together a "chill" music mix for my housewarming party, and so much music from that playlist has been the cause of nostalgic thoughts for me. I think often of the fact that I am doing "just fine" being away from the states, but then something like a simple song will trigger so much emotion and nostalgia for me. All this to say I really do embrace the great memories I have from things in America (and even the not-so-great memories)...they are so much a part of who I am, and as much as it makes me miss them and long for them, I remember that everything in life is a journey. I can embrace the memories of those times knowing that these times will later produce the same kind of satisfying thoughts. And I just wonder to myself....what will be the soundtrack of this time...what will be the songs that trigger my memories of my little 20th floor apartment in Korea? What songs will bring up fond memories of my friends here? I wonder....

Now THIS is worth writing home about...

Ok, so first of all, we had our first snow that actually stuck last night! I'm looking outside to a white ground right now! :) And last night was so much fun to watch the all the college kids out in the snow, sliding around, taking pictures, etc....it reminded me of college, which in turn reminded me of home. It was kind of nice to think of winter at home though-it was something I hadn't thought of much since winter started here.

So, yesterday, the teachers at my school went out to eat together (a celebrating finals type of thing I think) and we went to a restaurant that one of our student's parents owns. We had some sort of bulgogi/shabbu shabbu thing, chop chae, and various other sides. Now, if you recall from before, Shabbu Shabbu is a food that is loaded with mushrooms, but I somehow like it. After we ate our meal, the principal came through to each of us and poured us a shot of cider (Sprite) and told us about the things we'd done well this year and the things he looked forward to for the next year. I thought that was pretty cool. After this, the owner of the restaurant brought out a special dish as a thank you. The English teacher sitting across from me was like "Oh, Tori you need to try this...it's raw beef." Now, to those who don't know, the girl that's speaking right now is the same girl who wouldn't even eat the meat cooked for dinner if she SAW it raw. However, this is also the girl who wants to fit in culturally and not seem like a stuck up American who won't try new things. So, I did. Mom, Dad, Bud, did you hear me? I ate raw beef...straight up raw beef with just a little bit of sesame seasoning on it, paired with little slices of raddish. Can you believe it? It was the size and shape of meat that comes out of a grinder....you know, those little tubular shapes strings of meat? Yeah. Now for the kicker. Ready..................................................................... I liked it. Yeah....I liked it. It had a really good taste to it. And had I not been wigging myself out psychologically, I would've probably enjoyed it even more! Haha. Anyway, all this to say, I think my fear of uncooked meat has gone away. I had gotten over the site of it (especially when you walk past markets and stuff here where there's like pig hearts and intestines out for sale), but I've just taken it one step further. Now all I need to do is get over the mouth-noises-annoy-me syndrome. :)

A First Time for Everything

As I thought about writing this blog, I thought about how intricate the human mind is. I have found it so interesting that sometimes the things that make me go "Huh...", the things that make me homesick, the things that make my heart soar....they're often such tiny little details in life. The silliest little thing can make me so happy for an entire day. And the silliest little thing can make me really sad for a while as well. It's just interesting to me how complex of beings we are.

Anyway, now onto the "real" message here. Today is a first for me. It's my first family oriented holiday out of the states. Now, I've spent Thanksgiving away from my family before, but I think it's just different when you're so far away. Also, it makes a big difference when you're living somewhere that the particular holiday you're experiencing isn't celebrated. Korea already had their main Thanksgiving-esque holiday, so today is nothing special here. I feel like I'm overlooking something, like I'm missing out on something big! And Thanksgiving never really "feels" that super special...it just "feels" weird to not have it present. That's all. On a happy note, there are some people from my church and such that are getting together for a big Thanksgiving meal on Saturday. So that should be fun!

Tonight, I'm going out with the young teachers at my school. They're super fun, and their English for the most part is pretty bad, so it makes for a really fun and challenging evening! I don't know where we'll go to eat, but I am sure it'll be something very traditionally Korean. It tends to lean that way with that group. :) Another random thought is this: I am almost going bonkers trying to make sure things are in order for the first Sunday of Advent. I am partnered up as a head of the worship planning committee at my church. It's really interesting working with that, because it's not the kind of "committee" I've ever been on before. It's a different kind of responsibility within the church than what I'm accustomed to, so it's kind of a fun challenge. And I feel good being involved in the church too other than just the worship team. It feels like I have some responsibility to the church, which is nice. So yeah. I feel like I'm just throwing out random thoughts here and there, so I'm going to go ahead and go now before I say something ridiculous! Haha...enjoy.