RANDOM TIDBITS

As nothing of too great a consequence has happened in the last week since I've written I guess I will just write about some random little stuff that seems to happen all the time.

- Last Friday the nice lady at the convenience store laughed as I walked through the doors.  I'm not positive about what she was laughing at but I'm pretty sure she was laughing about the fact I had been there everyday after school to buy a water and an egg and ham sandwich.  It didn't discourage me one bit though...I've still been there everyday since.

- Tried bangers and mash for the first time.  No it isn't a Korean dish.  I went to an amazing Irish Pub with some fellow teachers.  I will definitely be eating there again.  FYI: bangers and mash= sausages on top of mashed potatoes with gravy dumped all over it, its even better than it sounds.

- It seems as though whenever I am living my most sedentary lifestyle is when I get these grand ideas about pushing my physical limits.  I haven't joined the gym here yet.  And its in the same building as my school.  I just haven't taken the time to ask a Korean teacher at my school to come with me and help me.  However, that did not stop me from deciding the other night that I wanted to run a marathon.  It probably has to do with the fact that I am far removed from my last run, and there is really no chance of going for a run tomorrow since I don't belong to the gym and there are no parks around so my mind just thinks, "Hells yeah I wanna train for a marathon." I actually started looking up training plans.  I still think I want to do this.  We will see what I think after I actually join the gym and start working out again.  I will keep you posted.

- Started teaching my kinde class this week.  I only have three kids.  Jamie- girl, about 5 years old, very smart, can read English, outside of the classroom acts all sweet and quiet, inside the classroom screams all the time and pushes the boys around.  Elvin- boy probably around age 4, very very cute, not quite as advanced as Jamie, doesn't like to repeat things even though I ask him to 10 times, really only likes to play duck, duck, goose.  Justin- boy, about 4 years old probably, also very very cute, joined the class yesterday, does not know English at all, does not really understand that I don't know Korean, but starting to kind of pick things up even after just two days.

- Got yelled at, well not yelled but I guess sternly talked to, by some Korean gentlemen as I was walking into my apartment.  I have no idea what he was trying to tell me.  I just kept walking and looking back and he said something twice and was kind of pointing towards my building.  I went into my room really fast and locked it and then stood there in the entryway, actually I don't have an entryway its just one room, anyways, I stood there for literally five minutes trying to understand what he saying to me.  Did I do something wrong?  Did I leave my hot water heater running and take all the hot water?  No.  Did I leave my gas stove on and burn the place down?  No.  Did I leave my air con on all day(like it would matter to him if I did)?  No.  Did I throw my trash in the wrong place this morning?  I don't think so, I put it by other people's trash on the side of the street.  Is he my neighbor and I'm playing my music too loud?  I don't think so.  Has he seen me open my door and seen that I have about 15 empty water bottles lined up because I don't know what they do for recycling and I keep forgetting to ask someone and this somehow offends him?  I really have no idea what he was saying to me, but I'm pretty sure I haven't done anything wrong.  Hopefully I don't see him again anytime soon.  Although for all I know he could have been offering me a free meal at the restaurant around the corner.  I don't think that was it, but you never know...

- Was watching a game show on TV the other day and I was like, "Man these questions are so easy, I could win this thing."  I then realized that all the questions were being asked to Koreans, in English, and they had to answer in English.  I proceeded to give them props.

- In my kinde class today we were playing memory.  So I had my little kiddos, all three of them, around me with the memory cards.  Then Elvin tooted.  And of course I laughed.  Toots are funny and they are especially funny when they come from 4 year olds.  Then everyone was laughing and I said, "Elvin was that you?"  What does he do?  He points to the classroom over and says, "No, them."  Kids learn fast.  He knew how do blame it on someone else even though he's only 4 and totally out of his element.  He could blame his toot on someone else, in a different language.  I was impressed.

- Learned to stay far away from the soju (as the guide book calls it, the local "firewater") after being here for less than a week and a half.  I will spare you the details, but let's just say it took me a day and a half to recover from that one.

- For as long as I can remember I've wanted a moped.  I now want one even more.  They are all over the place here.  I'm especially jealous when I'm walking and sweating my arse off and there they go with the wind in their hair, whizzing down the street, swerving in and out of cars.  UUGGH.  I want a moped.

- Couldn't understand why I was so much more interested in the story we were reading in one of my classes than any of my students.  Then I realized it was because the story was about aliens and space, and I just eat that stuff up.  Love it.  I guess they aren't as enthusiastic about it.  O'well.

Well I think those are all of the thoughts I can think of right now.  I will let you know how I'm feeling about the marathon thing when I actually start working out again.

I hope all is going well for you and yours.  

Talk to you again soon...