Last weekend (the one before Halloween), my college friend, Allina, came to visit me. She lives about 4 hours north of me in Korea, with her parents. Her dad came with her as well, and the two of them took me out to various places around Busan that I've been meaning to go to, and we had a fantastic time.
When they arrived, we went to the Busan Aquarium, which is right next to one of the biggest beaches, Haeundae. The aquarium is built underground and has three levels, so when you walk through you go progressively deeper underground. They had a diver go into the tank with the sting rays and they swarmed around her and she fed them right from her hands. You couldn't pay me enough to get that close to those guys - and it was the same deal in the shark tank. Seeing someone else doing that was very cool, though. It was really a very relaxing visit - there's something about being surrounded by water and beautiful underwater creatures that just feels peaceful. It also made me really want a fish tank in my apartment.
After the aquarium we went out for dinner at the fish market nearby. I tried a tiny bit of the fish in the spicy soup and a tiny bit of squid, too. The restaurant brought a ton of side dishes, more than I've gotten almost anywhere else, and they were delicious. Next, I took them to Gwangan-li, the beach where the Fireworks Festival was held, where there is a beautiful, lit bridge over the cove. We meandered along the strip and the beach, got some coffee, and sat down for a beer with a view of the ocean. It was a really great day and night, and I got a great night's sleep for the first time in awhile, too!
The next day we headed to the UN Memorial Park and Cemetary, where soldiers from all of the countries who contributed troops to the Korean War are buried or memorialized on a Wall of Rememberance. It's the only UN cemetary in the world, because it's one of the only times when the un sanctioned a decalred war, and only because Kruschev banged his shoe on the table in fury, and left the room, boycotting the vote because Taiwan was being recognized as the legitimate government of China. This meant that democratic Taiwan was voting for China, and the USSR was out of the vote. Without the two communist countries voting that would have had veto power, the Security Council was almost unanimous in it's backing of the South against the Northern invasion. When the North failed to move back to the 38th parallel as requested in a UN resolution, the UN decided to put together forces from different countries to assist the south.
The memorial was really somber and thought-provoking, and I'm so glad we were able to go. Our visit happened to coincide with UN Day, so there were special flowers and decorations, and I arrived just after they'd had a ceremony with a motorcade of motorcycles, too. The Memorial Park/Cemetary is pretty huge, and beautifully laid out. There is the cemetary, a memorial to the unknown soldiers, a Hall of memorobilia, two reflecting pools in honor of the unknown soldiers, a Wall of Rememberance with a fountain and an everlasting flame, with a wall where all of the names of the dead are listed, a number of walkways and green space, an island with Thai plants in honor of Thai-Korean friendship, and a sculpture garden with sculptures donated from the various countries who were part of the UN forces. We spent quite awhile there, and it was really memorable.
All in all, it was a really great weekend and I'm so glad she and her dad were able to make the trip down, and I'm looking forward to traveling up north to see them soon and to visit a new part of Korea!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Settling In
Last week it really started to sink in that I live here now. I kept meaning to update my blog, but I was running around a lot and didn't have the patience to sit down and record things as they were happening. So, instead, here's a play-by-play (though as a person who's never watched sports, I'm not entirely sure I'm applying this term correctly ; )) of the events of the past week.
Oct 8-15th was the 14th Pusan International Film Festival. Until about 2000, the romanization of the Korean language used different letters - p instead of b, k instead of g. Now Pusan is Busan and Kwangan-li Beach-i is Gwangan-li Beach-i. But since the film festival existed as PIFF before the name change, PIFF it is.
I got my first paycheck last Monday, so I couldn't really see any films over the weekend or the week before. Once I had money in hand, though, I was ready to attend my first International Film Festival - and I was willing to wake up early to do it.
I ended up seeing three films over three days - each one was only 5,000 Won, or about $3.50 - I know; unbelievable. The first day we went to a Peruvian film about a woman whose mother was raped and tortured by the Shining Path, while pregnant with her. Now a young woman, her mother dies and leaves her to face the world alone and afraid of all men after the horror stories her mother told her. She's disturbed, and people who lived through the Shining Path say she has an illness called the Milk of Sorrow, because it was passed on to her through her mother's milk and she is scarred by it forever. The visuals were amazing, and there were some wonderful, haunting, lyrical songs that she sang.
Then we went to work to teach English for 6 hours. Talk about a change in mood.
The next day we headed across town - woke up at 9am to do it, which was difficult considering that, most days, I wake up about an hour or two before I have to be at work, and we work from 4pm-10:30pm. We got there an hour early b/c the film we wanted to see won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, but it had sold out as soon as they'd opened that morning.
Instead, we decided to go to the World's Largest Department Store, and bought real, juicy, delicious sandwiches - a rare treat here. It had real cheese, great dressing, and ciabatta bread. Yum. We also found a bookstore that sells foreign books, which is also hard to find here, so that was exciting. I only brought 5 books with me, because they're so heavy, so I'm relieved to know that I will not go book hungry.
That afternoon I didn't have work for the first 3 hours, so I went to an afternoon film on my own. It was Hungarian, and shot with amateur actors, some improv work, and a lot of close-shot camera work, and I thought an experimental film sounded like a fascinating choice. It started with a short film of preschool kids having conversations, which doens't sound entrancing, but it was. We were all laughing and I might have liked it more than the full length film that followed. The short was called I Will Not Be Your Friend, and the long one was called I'm Not Your Friend. It was about a group of friends who are all in bad relationships - with one another. It was weird, but I'm glad I went, b/c it was a great solo outing.
I haven't really explored Busan a lot, because without a cell phone I haven't wanted to end up lost or late without a way to reach people, and without a pay check I hadn't wanted to spend money. Besides, sleeping all day doesn't really bode well for outings. Still, being out in the 70 degree sunny weather last week was pretty great, so I guess I'll have to make more of an effort now.
The last film we saw was called The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveras, from the Philippines. It was about a 12 year olf gay boy whose family is into crime, and he gets a crush on the new cop who moves into the neighborhood, and troubles ensue. The writing and acting left much to be desired, but the girtty shots of life in the Filippino city where they lived made the movie worthwhile. I got the feeling that many of the people in the film were just people, not actors, and they were just living. I'd never really known anything about life in the Philippines, never really thought about it, and now I'm very interested in educating myself.
That night, Wednesday, I hosted dinner for a few friends, and we made crepes filled with sauteed veggies: zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onion, scallions, and peppers with spices. It turned out pretty well, thankfully. I'd never really made crepes before, but it was easy, and since then I've made them a few more times b/c it's a nice alternative to rice or noodles. It can be difficult to be creative when you don't have an oven. For dessert someone brought a cake, which was amazing - and really exciting since we can't bake in our own apts. It was very light and fluffy and had fresh fruit on top with a light creamy topping. I'm not sure if it was really that amazing, or if eating cake when baked goods are uncommon was just a mouth-watering experience. I think a bit of both.
On Thursday, I had two new students added to my younger class - the one which usually causes me problems - but the new students changed the vibe a little, or maybe my troublemakers are just tired of trouble, and class seemed to go quite well. On Friday I had two new students in my older class, which, until then, had only had one student. It's weird to incorporate people in the middle of the semester, but they've caught on pretty quickly and it's nice to be teaching more than one student - on the one hand she was getting private tutoring for the cost of a group class, but on the other hand she had all the pressure on her to answer every question. I think she's pretty glad to have the company, and they're all middle-school girls, which helps. There can be issues when you have to make girls and boys work together here, or when you put together older and younger students, because there is a strong history of traditional hierarchy here, and throwing off those traditions can make students really uncomfortable - and when they're uncomfortable they're generally less productive and attentive. Anyway, classes are generally going well, and I'm learning things every day - and I think my students are, too!
On Saturday they held the 4th or 5th annual Busan Fireworks Festival at Gwangan-li Beach-i. It's a gorgeous beach with a bridge spanning the cove and lots of small bars and cafes lining the strip. It was predicted that the fireworks would draw at least 1.5million people, and I'm fairly certian they did. It was like having the entire city of Milwaukee out on a beach, except at least 95% of the people were Korean. We got a spot in front of one of the most popular foreigner/young Korean bars, which was much closer than we expected to get, because we got there pretty close to the start. They had events going on starting at 3pm, but the fireworks didn't start until 8pm, and we arrived at about 7:15/7:30pm. I took lots of pictures and videos, and I'm hoping they captured a bit of the majesty of the show.
Having been to the DC Fourth of July fireworks last year, I thought I'd been witness already to a pretty fantastic disply - but those hardly can compare to what I saw on the beach this weekend. They had at least 4 large fireworks going at a time, all synchronized with music, and all with the landscape of the lit up, multicolored bridge across the beach. They had a laser display and pyrotechnics, and there were fireworks that were designed to fall like waterfalls from the sides of the bridge. Plus, being around so many excited people is infectious, and you can't help but get caught up in the moment.
So, all in all, it was a whirlwind of a week, and I'm ready to rest for a few days. I'm hoping my Alien Registration Card comes soon - I accidentally gave immigration the address of or headquarters, not my school branch, so it's delivery has been delayed. I'm trying not to get nervous, but if it's not here in a day or two I'll have to investigate further. I need a phone, a bank account, and a hair cut. OK, so the haircut I don't need my ARC for, but still...I'll breathe easier when it's in my hands.
Well, that's all for now! Next time I'll write sooner, to avoid these essay-length posts!
Oct 8-15th was the 14th Pusan International Film Festival. Until about 2000, the romanization of the Korean language used different letters - p instead of b, k instead of g. Now Pusan is Busan and Kwangan-li Beach-i is Gwangan-li Beach-i. But since the film festival existed as PIFF before the name change, PIFF it is.
I got my first paycheck last Monday, so I couldn't really see any films over the weekend or the week before. Once I had money in hand, though, I was ready to attend my first International Film Festival - and I was willing to wake up early to do it.
I ended up seeing three films over three days - each one was only 5,000 Won, or about $3.50 - I know; unbelievable. The first day we went to a Peruvian film about a woman whose mother was raped and tortured by the Shining Path, while pregnant with her. Now a young woman, her mother dies and leaves her to face the world alone and afraid of all men after the horror stories her mother told her. She's disturbed, and people who lived through the Shining Path say she has an illness called the Milk of Sorrow, because it was passed on to her through her mother's milk and she is scarred by it forever. The visuals were amazing, and there were some wonderful, haunting, lyrical songs that she sang.
Then we went to work to teach English for 6 hours. Talk about a change in mood.
The next day we headed across town - woke up at 9am to do it, which was difficult considering that, most days, I wake up about an hour or two before I have to be at work, and we work from 4pm-10:30pm. We got there an hour early b/c the film we wanted to see won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, but it had sold out as soon as they'd opened that morning.
Instead, we decided to go to the World's Largest Department Store, and bought real, juicy, delicious sandwiches - a rare treat here. It had real cheese, great dressing, and ciabatta bread. Yum. We also found a bookstore that sells foreign books, which is also hard to find here, so that was exciting. I only brought 5 books with me, because they're so heavy, so I'm relieved to know that I will not go book hungry.
That afternoon I didn't have work for the first 3 hours, so I went to an afternoon film on my own. It was Hungarian, and shot with amateur actors, some improv work, and a lot of close-shot camera work, and I thought an experimental film sounded like a fascinating choice. It started with a short film of preschool kids having conversations, which doens't sound entrancing, but it was. We were all laughing and I might have liked it more than the full length film that followed. The short was called I Will Not Be Your Friend, and the long one was called I'm Not Your Friend. It was about a group of friends who are all in bad relationships - with one another. It was weird, but I'm glad I went, b/c it was a great solo outing.
I haven't really explored Busan a lot, because without a cell phone I haven't wanted to end up lost or late without a way to reach people, and without a pay check I hadn't wanted to spend money. Besides, sleeping all day doesn't really bode well for outings. Still, being out in the 70 degree sunny weather last week was pretty great, so I guess I'll have to make more of an effort now.
The last film we saw was called The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveras, from the Philippines. It was about a 12 year olf gay boy whose family is into crime, and he gets a crush on the new cop who moves into the neighborhood, and troubles ensue. The writing and acting left much to be desired, but the girtty shots of life in the Filippino city where they lived made the movie worthwhile. I got the feeling that many of the people in the film were just people, not actors, and they were just living. I'd never really known anything about life in the Philippines, never really thought about it, and now I'm very interested in educating myself.
That night, Wednesday, I hosted dinner for a few friends, and we made crepes filled with sauteed veggies: zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onion, scallions, and peppers with spices. It turned out pretty well, thankfully. I'd never really made crepes before, but it was easy, and since then I've made them a few more times b/c it's a nice alternative to rice or noodles. It can be difficult to be creative when you don't have an oven. For dessert someone brought a cake, which was amazing - and really exciting since we can't bake in our own apts. It was very light and fluffy and had fresh fruit on top with a light creamy topping. I'm not sure if it was really that amazing, or if eating cake when baked goods are uncommon was just a mouth-watering experience. I think a bit of both.
On Thursday, I had two new students added to my younger class - the one which usually causes me problems - but the new students changed the vibe a little, or maybe my troublemakers are just tired of trouble, and class seemed to go quite well. On Friday I had two new students in my older class, which, until then, had only had one student. It's weird to incorporate people in the middle of the semester, but they've caught on pretty quickly and it's nice to be teaching more than one student - on the one hand she was getting private tutoring for the cost of a group class, but on the other hand she had all the pressure on her to answer every question. I think she's pretty glad to have the company, and they're all middle-school girls, which helps. There can be issues when you have to make girls and boys work together here, or when you put together older and younger students, because there is a strong history of traditional hierarchy here, and throwing off those traditions can make students really uncomfortable - and when they're uncomfortable they're generally less productive and attentive. Anyway, classes are generally going well, and I'm learning things every day - and I think my students are, too!
On Saturday they held the 4th or 5th annual Busan Fireworks Festival at Gwangan-li Beach-i. It's a gorgeous beach with a bridge spanning the cove and lots of small bars and cafes lining the strip. It was predicted that the fireworks would draw at least 1.5million people, and I'm fairly certian they did. It was like having the entire city of Milwaukee out on a beach, except at least 95% of the people were Korean. We got a spot in front of one of the most popular foreigner/young Korean bars, which was much closer than we expected to get, because we got there pretty close to the start. They had events going on starting at 3pm, but the fireworks didn't start until 8pm, and we arrived at about 7:15/7:30pm. I took lots of pictures and videos, and I'm hoping they captured a bit of the majesty of the show.
Having been to the DC Fourth of July fireworks last year, I thought I'd been witness already to a pretty fantastic disply - but those hardly can compare to what I saw on the beach this weekend. They had at least 4 large fireworks going at a time, all synchronized with music, and all with the landscape of the lit up, multicolored bridge across the beach. They had a laser display and pyrotechnics, and there were fireworks that were designed to fall like waterfalls from the sides of the bridge. Plus, being around so many excited people is infectious, and you can't help but get caught up in the moment.
So, all in all, it was a whirlwind of a week, and I'm ready to rest for a few days. I'm hoping my Alien Registration Card comes soon - I accidentally gave immigration the address of or headquarters, not my school branch, so it's delivery has been delayed. I'm trying not to get nervous, but if it's not here in a day or two I'll have to investigate further. I need a phone, a bank account, and a hair cut. OK, so the haircut I don't need my ARC for, but still...I'll breathe easier when it's in my hands.
Well, that's all for now! Next time I'll write sooner, to avoid these essay-length posts!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Payday, PIFF, and Phones
Today was my first payday in Korea! I only worked two weeks in September, so it's not a full paycheck, but it still feels great : )
This week is PIFF - Pusan International Film Festival. I didn't go to any films last weekend because I was low on funding, but I'm hoping to see at least 3 films in the next few days. Tickets are only around 5,000-10,000 won, which is about $4-8, so that's great - unless I've been lied to. There are some great films in the lineup, from Korea and around the world, so I'm pretty psyched to check out the festival - in part just for the experience of going!
Getting my paycheck also means that I'll be able to get a phone later this week, when my ARC card arrives. I need it to prove I'm a registered Alien when I sign the phone contract and set up my bank account, two things I've been looking forward to with great anticipation. Let's hope everything goes smoothly, and I'll be connected again shortly!
All of this news means I'll have to start working on getting to sleep earlier and waking up earlier, but that can only be a good thing - I could definitely use more time in the Busan sun (not that it seems to be going anywhere). It's amazing to be in a city where it is still in the 70s during the day - though it's getting pretty chilly at night, maybe even hitting 45 - hahahaha. It's glorious. For those of you in Ithaca and Wisconsin, my condolences go out to you, since I'm sure the weather is not being so kind to all of you. Good luck with those winter coats, snow flurries, and harsh frosts! I'm off to the beach tomorrow ; )
This week is PIFF - Pusan International Film Festival. I didn't go to any films last weekend because I was low on funding, but I'm hoping to see at least 3 films in the next few days. Tickets are only around 5,000-10,000 won, which is about $4-8, so that's great - unless I've been lied to. There are some great films in the lineup, from Korea and around the world, so I'm pretty psyched to check out the festival - in part just for the experience of going!
Getting my paycheck also means that I'll be able to get a phone later this week, when my ARC card arrives. I need it to prove I'm a registered Alien when I sign the phone contract and set up my bank account, two things I've been looking forward to with great anticipation. Let's hope everything goes smoothly, and I'll be connected again shortly!
All of this news means I'll have to start working on getting to sleep earlier and waking up earlier, but that can only be a good thing - I could definitely use more time in the Busan sun (not that it seems to be going anywhere). It's amazing to be in a city where it is still in the 70s during the day - though it's getting pretty chilly at night, maybe even hitting 45 - hahahaha. It's glorious. For those of you in Ithaca and Wisconsin, my condolences go out to you, since I'm sure the weather is not being so kind to all of you. Good luck with those winter coats, snow flurries, and harsh frosts! I'm off to the beach tomorrow ; )
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Dinner and Thoughts
There are four of us from the branch who live in my apt. building, and we have another friend, who works at a nearby branch for younger students, who lives nearby. Not only is this great for sharing cabs back from the beach at odd hours of the night on the weekends, but it's also fantastic for cooking dinner together. Two of us are vegetarians (though she eats chicken) and a third used to be veg. so we're all happy, or at least pretty happy, with veg. meals.
So far we've made the following: stir fry; pasta with sauteed veggies and tomato-eggplant sauce; veg. chili with chocolate pudding for dessert; and, tonight we made veg. lomo saltado, a Peruvian dish. All fantastic, and all made even better with good company.
I came to Korea for a lot of reasons. One was to meet other ex-pats and see why they were here, what we had in common, etc. So far, it's been a mixed bag, but I've been lucky with the five who live closest to me. Proximity helps, I'm sure, but on the whole, they're just good people. When we go out, we run into a lot of foreigners, some nice, some crazy, and some downright obnoxious and rude. But the people I work with are, on the whole, people I want to be around.
I realized, over the last few days, that I've barely read the news from around the world. When I do, it seems far away, and it feels untouchable. What's the point in getting worked up over sanctions on Iran when that's been happening for years, and when I'm trying to figure out how to get an Alien Registration Card in a country where I speak almost no Korean and the people who I need help from speak almost no English? Priorities change. I'm glad that I care more about trying to communicate effectively with the women in the supermarket than I do about things happening miles away. It also has made me realize how much I miss music and performing and that whole world. I can't quite describe it. I think when I was in Ithaca I still felt close to the music school and close to music, as if I could change my mind about my goals, but now I feel so far away from those choices.
I'm living now. Just living. Maybe for the first time in a long time I'm not planning for the future or trying to understand how what I'm doing now fits into the larger picture. I'm just teaching, talking, and exploring a new city, and it consumes all of my time - and I love it. I love not thinking about what I'll do next year. I love finding out a new word in Korean. I love seeing the lightbulb look on my students' faces when they understand how to convey their ideas in a different language than their own, and I envy their ability to speak so well in two languages. I want to spend my time at the beach, watching the ocean and the people and the mountains. I want to stay up late cooking and talking with other people who are far from the familiar, but who are also making a life here. I'm learning what it feels like to just be. While I still have anxieties, and I still think about the future, I'm less concerned with preparing for it, because I know that I'd miss too much of what's right in front of me, and so far, what's in front of me is my priority; I hope it stays that way.
So far we've made the following: stir fry; pasta with sauteed veggies and tomato-eggplant sauce; veg. chili with chocolate pudding for dessert; and, tonight we made veg. lomo saltado, a Peruvian dish. All fantastic, and all made even better with good company.
...
I came to Korea for a lot of reasons. One was to meet other ex-pats and see why they were here, what we had in common, etc. So far, it's been a mixed bag, but I've been lucky with the five who live closest to me. Proximity helps, I'm sure, but on the whole, they're just good people. When we go out, we run into a lot of foreigners, some nice, some crazy, and some downright obnoxious and rude. But the people I work with are, on the whole, people I want to be around.
I realized, over the last few days, that I've barely read the news from around the world. When I do, it seems far away, and it feels untouchable. What's the point in getting worked up over sanctions on Iran when that's been happening for years, and when I'm trying to figure out how to get an Alien Registration Card in a country where I speak almost no Korean and the people who I need help from speak almost no English? Priorities change. I'm glad that I care more about trying to communicate effectively with the women in the supermarket than I do about things happening miles away. It also has made me realize how much I miss music and performing and that whole world. I can't quite describe it. I think when I was in Ithaca I still felt close to the music school and close to music, as if I could change my mind about my goals, but now I feel so far away from those choices.
I'm living now. Just living. Maybe for the first time in a long time I'm not planning for the future or trying to understand how what I'm doing now fits into the larger picture. I'm just teaching, talking, and exploring a new city, and it consumes all of my time - and I love it. I love not thinking about what I'll do next year. I love finding out a new word in Korean. I love seeing the lightbulb look on my students' faces when they understand how to convey their ideas in a different language than their own, and I envy their ability to speak so well in two languages. I want to spend my time at the beach, watching the ocean and the people and the mountains. I want to stay up late cooking and talking with other people who are far from the familiar, but who are also making a life here. I'm learning what it feels like to just be. While I still have anxieties, and I still think about the future, I'm less concerned with preparing for it, because I know that I'd miss too much of what's right in front of me, and so far, what's in front of me is my priority; I hope it stays that way.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Chuseok
Yesterday - and this weekend, really - was Chuseok, which is basically the most imporant holiday in Korea - but we had classes anyway. Only a few kids showed up, and we had class in the morning because they had public school off for the long weekend. Some parents prioritize learning English over holidays, I guess. Most of the kids were going to see their grandparents later in the day. Traditionally, Chuseok is a day to give respect to your elders, and to your ancestors. There is a bowing ritual done before grandparents, etc. and your give gifts to people. Grandparents give money to children, and other people can give gifts as well to repected people and the like. I actually got two Chuseok gifts from a coupld of students. I was given handmade soaps from one student, which is a popular Chuseok gift, and I was given a pair of earrings and a charm for my yet-to-be-purchased phone. They were the highlights of my week : )
Since our classes ended at 3:30pm, instead of starting around that time, some of the teachers and staff decided to go to Bennigans for a Western dinner to celebrate having the night off from work, and for Chuseok! It was nice, but getting sit-down Western food is so much more expensive, and it's a good thing we only do it occasionally. Tonight some of us are going to just cook together, which we did the other night and it was probably my favorite night here so far. I like spending time with people, but going out to see everyone can get so exhausting and I'd rather just hang out and chill than go out to different parts of town.
I still haven't gone to get my Alien Registration Card, which I need to get a bank account, phone, etc. I need to figure out a good sleeping/waking schedule, because it's bizarre to work at 4pm every day, and not get done until 10:30pm. You end up making dinner at midnight, and staying up til at least 2am. I've been completely flipped around, waking up about an hour before work, and falling asleep as the sun comes up over the mountain out my window. Yesterday helped, I think, since we had to be up for work at 9am. I even got up early and went for a walk around the neighborhood to get breakfast and get exercise. I'm looking forward to payday so that I can start getting things in order, like finding a gym, finishing setting up my place - I need 2 small desk/dresser drawer things. I think today or tomorrow I'll finish putting up my posters and paintings on the walls - it's still very bare, because I've been trying to decide if I'll get in trouble for using tacks - so I'll probably just use wall-tack stuff, and hope it keeps everything in place.
I need to head out to get some groceries, and I'm hoping someplace is still open to buy a pillow - my head and neck as starting to hurt all the time because I've been using my neck pillow from the airplane, since I didn't know where to get a pillow near my place, only a far subway rid away. But, a friend told me where she got one nearby, but it's after 5 now, so I might be out of luck until tomorrow. Oh well, what's one more night in the grand scheme of things?
It hit me yesterday just how much I miss my friends, and how strange it is to think that I've probably met most of the people who I'll be friends with for the next year. I'm not used to having just one group of friends. I like everyone, but I realized that I'm starting to feel lonely anyway, because without a cell I'm completely dependent on the friends I have to invite me places, to move from one place to another when we're out an about, etc. I'm used to being so independent, and I'm used to spending time with different people on different days. I like them all a lot, but it's just weird having immediate friends who are based mostly on proximity - but not entirely, because already I'm closer to some people than to others. Anyway, I miss my friends, and I wish they could all come to Korea - too bad it's not just an overnight car ride away, or I know I'd have a few visitors ; )
Since our classes ended at 3:30pm, instead of starting around that time, some of the teachers and staff decided to go to Bennigans for a Western dinner to celebrate having the night off from work, and for Chuseok! It was nice, but getting sit-down Western food is so much more expensive, and it's a good thing we only do it occasionally. Tonight some of us are going to just cook together, which we did the other night and it was probably my favorite night here so far. I like spending time with people, but going out to see everyone can get so exhausting and I'd rather just hang out and chill than go out to different parts of town.
I still haven't gone to get my Alien Registration Card, which I need to get a bank account, phone, etc. I need to figure out a good sleeping/waking schedule, because it's bizarre to work at 4pm every day, and not get done until 10:30pm. You end up making dinner at midnight, and staying up til at least 2am. I've been completely flipped around, waking up about an hour before work, and falling asleep as the sun comes up over the mountain out my window. Yesterday helped, I think, since we had to be up for work at 9am. I even got up early and went for a walk around the neighborhood to get breakfast and get exercise. I'm looking forward to payday so that I can start getting things in order, like finding a gym, finishing setting up my place - I need 2 small desk/dresser drawer things. I think today or tomorrow I'll finish putting up my posters and paintings on the walls - it's still very bare, because I've been trying to decide if I'll get in trouble for using tacks - so I'll probably just use wall-tack stuff, and hope it keeps everything in place.
I need to head out to get some groceries, and I'm hoping someplace is still open to buy a pillow - my head and neck as starting to hurt all the time because I've been using my neck pillow from the airplane, since I didn't know where to get a pillow near my place, only a far subway rid away. But, a friend told me where she got one nearby, but it's after 5 now, so I might be out of luck until tomorrow. Oh well, what's one more night in the grand scheme of things?
It hit me yesterday just how much I miss my friends, and how strange it is to think that I've probably met most of the people who I'll be friends with for the next year. I'm not used to having just one group of friends. I like everyone, but I realized that I'm starting to feel lonely anyway, because without a cell I'm completely dependent on the friends I have to invite me places, to move from one place to another when we're out an about, etc. I'm used to being so independent, and I'm used to spending time with different people on different days. I like them all a lot, but it's just weird having immediate friends who are based mostly on proximity - but not entirely, because already I'm closer to some people than to others. Anyway, I miss my friends, and I wish they could all come to Korea - too bad it's not just an overnight car ride away, or I know I'd have a few visitors ; )
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)