No real news, but I’m excited because I have begun writing again.  These canceled classes at my school are really taking a toll; quite tired of it.  I’ve had so much time to do nothing- I’m trying not to be out spending money since I’m not getting paid at all for these classes that aren’t happening.  So, I’ve begun writing a couple of stories.  One that I am currently working on is about one of my favorite students who is quite “Westernized” in many ways.  When every other instructor complained about him, I embraced his eccentricity and I think that I rubbed off on him.   Hopefully I can finish it and possibly post it on here.

Other than writing, I’ve been checking out the job market via job websites and I’ve even applied to a couple of companies, most for office assistant positions.  One that I thought was neat was from American Greetings looking for a greeting card writer/editor.  I’ve always wondered/joked what it would be like if I wrote greeting cards.  Before retirement, I would try to find a way to eliminate Valentine’s Day as a national holiday.  On a more serious note, I am a bit downtrodden about employment because most jobs that I am interested in require years of job experience.  My work experience is pretty much all over the board: sales, retail, tutoring, store clerk, and now ESL instructor.

Instead of outright quitting my job here, I’ve requested a term break, which allows me three months of no work and I don’t have to be re-trained if/when I go back.  Many co-workers ask if I plan on coming back and I honestly say “I’m not entirely sure.”

Hey everyone. How Goes it?  I am writing during the exam period which pries my students away from their English academy classes.  This all began last week and will possibly last until next week.  At first, having canceled classes is exciting; I compare the excitement to having snow days in elementary school in Ohio.  However, since I am a lowly Hagwon teacher, I don’t get reimbursed for my canceled classes… no $!  I’ve had some fun, but I need a schedule.

So how have I spent my time?  Well, fortunately my canceled classes allowed me to spend more time with Jason while he was here.  Jason was in Korea from June 17th-27th visiting from Cincinnati.  On the 17th I met him at Incheon and I had no idea how excited I would be to see a familiar face from home.  I was able to introduce him to Hofs and Soju on the second night.  In those ten days, it never got tiring to catch up on all that I missed while being away.  I also really enjoyed showing him around my neck of the woods and venturing into new places myself; there seemed to be many happy accidents.  I inadvertently took him to Gyeoungbokgung Palace when we couldn’t locate a museum.  Walking around Cheongye led us to Dongdaemun for shopping.  It’s funny how easily stressed out I get when I’m lost, but I’m slowly beginning to lose that.

Jason was also able to meet all of my work friends.  He may have gained some insight about how eccentric we all are, ha.  I took him to a couple of dinners and one farewell/Bon Voyage party for my friend Charlene.   Showing him the finer aspects of Seoul life really redeemed the reasons why I initially came here.  Though there are many reasons for me to want to stay, I feel as if I need to go home for a while to really know what I want.

There are a myriad of photos from Jason’s visit during the past two weeks, but currently I am much too lazy to post them. Next time!

And I’m sure the question is “Where are you going?”

Answer: Nowhere!

I’m going to take the chance to do all of the touristy things that I still haven’t been able to do while I’ve lived in Seoul for more than 10 months.  Even better, I’ll take on the tourist perspective by having my friend Jason here.  It will truly be awesome to see him but also refreshing to see through his eyes.  During the week we will traverse the city then who knows what the weekend will bring?

So many thoughts crossed my mind as I left my school today, readying myself for the revelation that I wouldn’t have to be there for an entire week.  First, I need to clean my place.  My room gets easily dusty and  clothes seem to pile up at a rapid speed.  It’s so easy to live day in and day out knowing my routine without expecting too many interruptions.  But now that I will have a guest, I am worried that my daily life may seem strange, maybe even primitive to some.  There are many things that I have gotten used to here: not having a microwave, no bathtub, cleaning my bathroom once a week (almost), Zooey running around/biting me, clothes on the futon/floor/table, etc.  But now I realize that my way of life may be, well, strange.  I am in no way worried about what Jason might think, but he really is one of the few people who will have seen my place: I don’t have too many dinner parties at Chez Meg.  I’ll just have to make my place immaculately spotless, as to present the facade that I am a clean person. HA.

I’ve really been having a great time in Seoul lately.  I can’t decide though: is it because of the weather or is it because I know when my Korean expiration is up?  Sometimes it helps to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I think that I’ve just really allowed myself to enjoy my time more.  A really good friend recently left Korea to return back to Canada.  He has been traveling for a long time I think, so he was ready for it.  But his final days and nights really ignited the part of me that initially really wanted to be in South Korea.  It also helps to be doing well as a teacher.  My classes this term are more familiar, which I think comes with time.  There are also the superiors that are telling me about my progress; it’s endearing to hear that this job has actually become something that I could get used to.  I think my progress really had to do with last term.  Even though I was initially against being in charge of seventeen elementary school students, those kids ended up being my favorites.  They search for me now, looking into the classroom in awe of the much older students I teach now.  “Is this your new class?” they ask.  I say “Yes,” but in a way which tells them “…but I miss you guys.”

I’ve been outside more, as well.  The other night, after talking to Jason on Skype about post-arrival arrangements, I watched a movie and then realized that it was almost 5 a.m.  The sun was about to rise and I felt like I had restless leg syndrome.  So, contradictory to everything that I stand for, I put on my Nikes and went outside.  I was greeted by the rising morning sun and decided to walk around the small park that is minutes from my place.  I’ve never been in (I think there’s an admission charge) but the path around the park is cushioned for joggers and walkers; I was of the latter.  I had my MP3 player playing and I walked around the park, looking in at the refurbished palace that dominated the center of the field.  I’ve always wondered where the runners were and well, I found them.  I quickly found myself part of a small club that woke up at horribly early times to stretch the old bones.  Needless, I was the only white person out walking around that park.  I usually am on the outside, walking out of a cab at 5 a.m. to fall into my bed after a long night of karaoke or clubbing; it was nice to know that I could begin my day so early and nap later if I wanted to.  Seriously, my life is fueled by evenings/nights of fun and excitement though sometimes punctuated by moments when I feel older and wiser.  Some may call it a multiple personality disorder but I call it Life in Seoul.

More to come…

{May 4th, 2008}

On May 4th, 2008, the creator of the Pringles can passed away. When I found the article, I was a bit dismal, but when I learned that the creator had lived in College Hill, Cincinnati I was beside myself. How could I live so close to a legend and not ever know it? I guess I should have known; he worked for P&G which is located in Cinci.

Pringles are very big in South Korea: you can find an assortment of delicious flavors in every convenience store. I frequently enjoy my old favorites - Sour Cream & Onion, Original, Pizza-flavored - but I have had several experiences with new and exotic flavors, such as Feta Cheese and Guacamole. The man and the mustache has always conveyed positive thoughts for me: when Chester Cheetah is nowhere to be found, Mr. Pringle provides comfort and solace.

With my new classes this term I have made numerous threats to deter sleeping in class. In the past, I had forewarned students about utilizing waterguns, throwing markers, and calling parents in order to prevent their overworked, money-invested minds from hitting the fake wood of those crudely-assembled desks. But nothing has worked better than showing them a Pringles can. With the cylinder-shaped can in the left and a permanent marker in the right, I promise that I will replicate Mr. Pringles’ mustache on the faces of snoozing students. My threat is all the more effective if I hold up a red or blue marker instead of a black one.

So, Mr. Pringles Can Creator, this one is for you. Thank you for leaving your stamp on the world in the shape of a mustache. I will forever remember your contribution to life itself and will tell tales of your glory.

I hadn’t realized just how much time had gone by until I started receiving e-mails from family: “Where are you?!”

No worries, I’m right here. It’s not that I don’t have anything to write about; I have way too much and I haven’t decided on the best way to present all of the information, honestly. But, here it goes.

I have just begun my fourth and final term at my school. I think I’ve known that it would be my last term, but then I made the quick-turn decision to leave before the term even ends. Long story short, new visa policies have somewhat complicated renewing visas to work in South Korea, so I’ve decided to bow out instead of renewing my visa, to only work 3 more weeks.

I see many advantages to this decision:

+ I get to come home early and see my loved ones !!

+ I have some down-time before commencing the real job search. I’ve been afraid of just settling with a job because of the timing, so I think this way I can really set my mind to what I want to do, after having this fantastic job.

+ Get to enjoy the sweet summer air of Ohio before the Fall.

While this has been a blessing to work with such amazing people (peers and students), I don’t think that I can endure living in South Korea for much longer. I can’t really say that I don’t know what happened between then and now: it’s just too exhausting to think about, let alone write. It’s just what I have always said: nothing feels REAL to me here. And maybe that has a lot to do with people.

I know that I will be sad to leave my classes and peers so early, but I’m more than excited about returning to U.S. soil. Some tell me that I shouldn’t be (oil, Clinton vs. Obama, Britney Spears, and Miley Cyrus), but nothing excites me more than just sitting on a back porch and regaling my friends and family with crazy stories that I couldn’t possibly have experienced in Cincinnati. What has sweetened the deal is the thought of having a guest from home- my friend Jason is visiting Seoul June 17th. My Korean knowledge and instincts will really be put to the test and I am thrilled.

I have seen friends come and go since I have been here, and my mind seems more at ease now that I have my priorities in more of an order (will they ever be in order??) I have a lot to do before I can leave, but it will be all worth it.

Of course there’s SO much more that I could write about, but I can’t. I’ll just promise not to let another month slip by without a post.

Hugs and High-fives.

I want to find this kid… he really could have livened up my birthday party, had I had his number and had he performed. A Korean child’s take on a classic Beatles song.

Sometimes I swear that I would not have survived this long without music or internet.  No, that’s not true.

It’s amazing what gets people through it all.  I should consider myself lucky: I’m surrounded by many caring, unique individuals in Seoul and so many more loving people await my return in the States.  I think about all of the times I have bitched and moaned about being “inconvenienced” in Seoul, but now all of the grievances seem so shallow.  This week and next week have and will bring many canceled classes, due to the students’ exam period.  I’ve used the time so far to think about what’s happened in the last eight months.

I guess what really got me thinking was going to James’ and Sky’s house again.  The last time I went there for a grillout was after my first week of class training.  It was unreal to think about how new everything was at the time.  The second time was so much more different because I was surrounded by people who I’ve worked alongside with, so in a way the setting was more intimate.  In many ways though, I couldn’t discern how much had actually changed since August.

In many ways, I’ve tried not to make too many waves here.  I’ve had the time of my life (so many stories, for the young and old), but I’ve talked myself out of settling in so many times.  I can only theorize that my resistance to acclimating has to do with my desire to feel like an American again.  It’s strange, I feel very Korean although I hardly speak fluently.  I guess I just feel too used to a schedule: work, work, work, play, then work again.  Having this much time to myself these next two weeks is really going to shake things up… for the better, I have decided.

I have four days off in a row next weekend and I have decided to go to Busan with my two best girls.  The weather has been in the mid-70s for about two weeks now and I am hopeful that I can dip my toes in the water without being chilled to the bone.  I went hiking with Martha today in Suraksan (2nd time hiking since I’ve been here).  I’ve been dying to do more things outdoors, but once we began the hike I realized “Hey, I’m NOT a hiker.”  I stuck it out though.  We made it to the summit, 2.4 kilometers later.  Several times, I thought my calves were going to roll up my legs and flop onto the dusty ground, but alas, the mind does play tricks when your body exhausts itself.  Once I got past the mind tricks, I knew that we were close to the top. Success!

Though hiking may not be a favorite pastime, my number one, favorite, all-time best hobby is people-watching.  Since I did not have my camera, I will have to paint the picture.  Me: old brown shorts, blue thrift store t-shirt.  Beat-up New Balances and small drawstring bag with money and apples. Korean citizens pride themselves on their hiking gear.  The “Ah-gee-ma” hikers don dry-weave exercise suits in the following colors: neon pink, navy blue, carrot orange…. everything bright. Some women probably had to ensure that their jumpsuits matched their shade of lipstick…yes, that’s right: lipstick on a hike.  Lipstick, I’m sure that was retrieved every so often from the Louis Vuitton handbag.

The men adorn themselves in suits of the same caliber only black, always black.  What’s impressive about the Korean male hikers is the immensity of the backpack that they carry.  Either Northface or some Korean off-brand bag, the men would adhere all of the necessary equipment.  On some packs, Soju bottles were expertly tucked in where water bottles would rest… SOJU BOTTLES! Now that’s the way to hike.  Next to the bottles, a mess tin would hang: perfect size for shooting Soju in celebrating the end of a long hike. Martha and I watched these hikers in mild fascination as we ate our SoyJoy bars and drank our mineral water.  They pierced the Earth with their twin walking poles, many looking as if they had just flown back home from the Himalayas.  Many of these couples could be found resting lazily with their mountain boots off near the small creeks and flat boulders.

At several points in our hike, me and Martha caught the attention of Korean hikers. “HELLO!” some would yell.  We would greet in return.  Not knowing any more English, some older hikers tried to elicit conversations with us, but we bowed our heads in shame, being lazy MeGooks with no more Korean to speak.  I told Martha that my worst fear is that someone would try to warn us about something foreboding and we would have no idea. What we thought might have been “Nice day!” was actually “Beware: mountain lions at the top.”  Luckily, there were no such encounters.  But we did feel like celebrities at times, being the only blondes on the trail.  Just trying to dispel rumors and lies about blondes, my friends.

Well, there are some photos, but I’m just too tired to post them.  Next time. In short, it’s this kind of thinking which gets me by.  I need to write more of my humorous observations so that I have less stories to tell later.

Oh yeah, this and beer.  These get me through it all.

Hey party people.

My rants and writings have been few and far between, and for that I apologize. I had stepped up to the plate a few times in the last week or so, but I really hesitated about writing a blog about feeling *bleh.* Suffice it to say, I’ve been homesick lately, besides physically sick. Summertime is my favorite season and memories of Summer ‘07 have been flooding my mind, causing me to have momentarily lapses in my “Korean life.” Sometimes I feel as if I am leading double lives, one slightly on hold in Ohio and one budding/budging in Seoul.

- - - -

I love hearing from my friends and family from home, but sometimes talking about near-future plans makes me want to be home. Reds games, concerts, good food, good people. I’m convinced that it will still all be there when I return, but sometimes memories aren’t sufficient.

It’s also been tough to see friends come and go. In the last few months I have forged some excellent friendships. Lately, two of my best girlfriends have moved on and quit our school and I am sure that my good guy friend is also on the verge. When I am trying to convince myself to stick it out, it’s hard when others make leaving look so easy. I guess when it all comes down to it, I am glad to be working here in Seoul because I have found NO JOBS listed in Ohio. None that validate my degree, appeal to my senses, or offer an enticing salary. Zip, nada, zilch.

++++

I’m making great money and sometimes I forget that. There won’t be ANY job in Ohio that would offer me as much as I make here; unless it’s some sort of welding or construction job that warns against losing limbs and chemical contamination.

There are also so many possibilities for the summertime. There’s the Mud Festival in July. I still have not taken my vacation time yet, so I still daydream about what I could do with that. Also, there are going to be a lot of canceled classes this week and the next, which leaves me with a four-day weekend. There are already talks of visiting Busan, which is the beachiest part of South Korea and only a 3-hour transit away. The idea of getting out of Seoul and away from school for a few days sounds glorious… I keep everyone posted as always.

I am constantly thinking about how everyone’s doing, so if you’re reading this, I am thinking about YOU!

Who knew that crazy Ohio new anchors got down at 5:45 a.m.?

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