Rice cakes, coffee and the indecent proposal !?!?!

Today I ate one of the staples in the Korean diet, the infamous rice cake. Now let me say prior to today, I was not such a fan of the rice cake. One of my co-workers Mrs. Pac made rice cakes for all of the teachers. In Korean culture if someone offers you something, it is rude to turn it down. So being a fan of  following Korean etiquette I accepted the rice cake. She then stood their waiting for me to taste the sticky green lump. Being apprehensive about tasting it, I bit in and began to chew Ms. Pac's gummy treat. Surprisingly, unlike the rice cakes I've had in the past this rice cake was still had the gelatinous texture but inside I found  a sweet powdery filling. Not only did I eat one, but I had another. Okay maybe rice cakes aren't that bad after all. Mrs. Pac then took me to the employee refrigerator where she pulled out a bag of Korean goodness. " I make" she said. Then proceeds to pull out two small containers of what smells to be the world's best kimchi. Additionally she pulls out  seaweed, more rice cakes and some sort of strange potted Korean meat. I think it's Spam. Did I mention Koreans LOVE Spam! I bow and say "Kimichi Moshisosoyo" and "Chinchol Hakunyo (my Korean spelling is terrible, but no worries I speak it well!) "Taedanhi Kamsahamnida".
My day was a little lax,since I only taught three classes today and they were all in the afternoon. Let's just say I was underwhelmed with today's classes. Mr. Oh barely understands me himself so it is very difficult for him to translate if need be during the class. Ugh! Just another motivator for me to become fluent in Korean. Each day I learn a few more words. My trusty pocket sized notebook and an open mind will go a long way. Speaking of the Korean language let me take you back to last night's language episode.
Flashback:After dinner last night with fellow English teachers in my department.... I invited them back to my apt for coffee. Only one accepted so I figured why not try a language exchange so I that could brush up on the vocab I learned that day. It was good times, we chatted in English then worked on my  Korean pronunciation and vocabulary. All was fine until I asked necessary survival questions for a night out on the town... like   "let's go for a drink",  and " do you want to come home with me?",  Oh no! Why did I ask that? After moving on to other phrases. Towards the end of our exchange he flips back in my book, and points to the above mentioned questions and said "do you need a partner for these things? Confused and lost for a minute I say " I buteyo" , he leans in closer and says" if you like to sometime, I would like to" . I burst out into laughter and say Ummm... are you trying to sleep with me? He replies with the Asian version of bedroom eyes, in his best English " If you would like, I would like very much to go to bed" and that was when I looked at the clock and did " the yawn"... but of course him not being American, he did not pick up on the  oh not so subtle It's time for you to go! So I then began collecting our coffee mugs and spoons and moving towards the sink. After he returned from the bathroom ,sat down, and began a new conversation, I cut him off with the oldie but goodie " Oh it's been fun! I will call see you tomorrow.. ok? " Eureka.... he gets its ladies and gentlemen. He collects his things bows and says thank you for the coffee.Relieved, I lock the door behind him and clean up the kitchen. Not the ending I imagined for my night, but it's Korea, strange things are bound to happen. So I tucked my indecent proposal away with my dirty vocabulary for a night when I need a good laugh. Well there's never a dull moment,that's for sure. So with that being said, I'm off for another adventure in downtown Anyang. Ayangigheseyo~

Confucius say: never mix  4 cups of coffee, 7 dirty Korean phrases,1 voluptuous foreign woman and 1 curious Asian man. It is recipe for unwanted advances.

New Spaces...

So, today I went by my classroom. They are diligently remodeling a some what dated space. After the contractors left my assistant teacher shows me a digital image of what my remolded classroom will look like. Sure, I expected some new desks, a white board and a few computers. But I was blown away by the design. In a month's time I will have the swankiest state of the art classroom in Sungmoon Middleschool. This room will be equpped with a smart board, computer lounge, "English Cafe" for instruction , drop down theme boards for roleplay along with new tables for group conversation work and a study space. What more could a foreign teacher ask for? I know my students are going to love it. I cant wait! My assistant tacher Ms. Kim informs me that this is my space and she hopes I like it. Hopes I like? Well knock me over with a feather.
After work today Ms. Kim and Mr. Kang are coming over to the apartment for tea and giving me a tutorial on how to use my rice cooker and washing machine. My co-workers are ever so helpful. I can't imagine getting this kind of support in America from my fellow teachers. My V.P. Who has a mini green house over near his desk gives me a house warming present today. He hands me a plant in a traditional Korean vase. I thank him gratuitously in Korean and start thinking where I'm going to put it in my apartment. Taedanhi Kamsahamnida!
Knowing how hard my students work during their school day I asked my V.P. if I could start an Art Club for a few students three days a week after my normal class schedule. He and Ms. Kim are very excited by this and say it would be a wonderful addition and  tell me they will talk it over with the Principal. This day is turning out to be full of surprises. I'm off to prepare for my last advanced English class of the day. Today we will be exploring Haiku.

                                                Teach in Korea

                                      Life becomes better each day  
                                             Never coming home                                                                     

 

Confucius say: Never send an American with extreme Wanderlust to live overseas one may only ever see her again via Skype.

K.I.S.S: Keep It Simple Stupid

Today was I had what seems to be my favorite block of classes. Thes students speak more than Elementary English so I can so more with their classes. Once again my morning started off great with a cup of coffee sitting on the school steps over looking the mountains and the Anyang skyline. The question " Do I really live here?" kept running through my mind. After my morning coffee I come into the office and am greeted "Ban gap ssumnida" by co-workers I find Ms. Kim at her desk next to mine with a bag in hand. She says how she remembered I liked seaweed so she brought me seaweed for my rice and dried seaweed snacks. How sweet is she? In class today my students learned the English idiom " What's cookin, good lookin?". As they read the phrase off the board with little or no inflection I had to fight back the laughter. One of my students stood up and yelled it at the class and smiled. The class bursted into cheers and laughter. This is why I love being a teacher.
So this afternoon a co-worker Mr. Oh who at times seems a bit abrasive, and who I have likewise nicknamed "the helicopter" due to his strange tendancy to hover over my shoulder when I'm writing at my desk asked me in his limited English if I wanted to go for a walk. Together we walked up to the school's garden and talked about the weather, the seasons, travel in America and the how English is one of the most difficult languages to learn. I helped him with his English vocabulary and we enjoyed the fall breeze and leaves falling.  While drinking our minature Korean coffees, on a bench, at the base of a mountain in the middle of Fall, out of nowhere Mr. Oh asks if I have a boyfriend. "No" I reply. He then proceeds to tell me he knows of some nice Korean men that I could date and improve my Korean. "Ummm...sure" I respond and smile. "Very good, I will see them" he says. I look at him , shake my head and continue to drink my coffee. I think something was lost in translation but we will see. When translating or attempting a language exchange there is one simple rule K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple Stupid.
Other than Mr. Oh's attempt at match-making the day was a success. I was just thinking ....How cute is my V.P.? Earlier I went to his desk and asked  how do you say plant in Korean. He smiled and responded in kind. Just a few minutes ago he comes over to my desk with the prettiest violet plant and says " plant for you!" in his best English. I love my job!

Confucius say: When asked if you have a boyfriend in Korea say yes match making by coworkers can cause undue stress

Oh Monday Morning...

We come bearing gifts was the theme this delightful Monday morning, one of my co-workers gave me a ride up the  steep hill this morning. I was so greatful. Then after arriving to my office, on my seat I found a pair of green slippers on my seat with a note from my wonderful assistant teacher Ms. Kim! Then after settling in and copying hand outs for today's lessons a fellow teacher brings me a cup of tea and says "Good Morning!", if this is any indication of what the rest of the school year is like. I am never teaching in an American school again. Minutes later my students come to clean our collective office as they do daily before class. Once I've settled in, one of my students comes over to my desk and gives my a roll of Grape flavored Mentos, "For you " she says and smiles. After sharing my American Strawberry Mentos with her on Friday she decided to return the favor, I said "Gamsaha-mnida" I thne proof read her journal entry. She is sooo excited about English! I love it. The school bell sounds ( classical music) and off she goes to first period. Ms. Kim comes back to the office and tells me that every Monday morning the teachers have a meeting. My coworkers pull out their Hymn books and begin to sing and another teacher begins to play the piano ( yes we have a piano in the teacher's office)

After what seems to be an opening prayer by the Science department,  a few selected teachers stand up one by one reporting for the week. Lastly the VicePrincipal stands up and speaks to us, then introduces me. In my finest Korean I say " Annyeongha-seyo, Tiffany-imnida, Mannaseo ban-gap-ssuemnida, Gamsaha-mnida", surprised by my Korean they smile and a roar of clapping ensues. I bow and sit down. I like the collective morning meeting and the sense of community in the teachers' office. American teachers could learn a thing or two from their Korean counterparts. So me and my green slippers are off to class....

Confucius say: Kindness is but a way of life in Korea so Americans beware, they are so generous who cares if they stare.

Pocket Sized Korean Day...

Just a little update...today was a lazy day around Anyang. I finally got out of slacker mode and unpacked. After unpacking I felt so good, that I decided to rearrange my apartment to make a bit more cozy and Feng Shui. Now I have a little living room area, moved my kitchen table and put new sheets on my bed. It's starting to feel like home already:). Then in the Martha Stuart spirit I made a quaint little Korean dinner for one. It's nice just being in my space and feeling at peace. During dinner I was listening to Yahoo Radio and I heard an announcement about hackers stealing people's Facebook accounts and then asking friends for money saying they are stranded in foreign countries. I have a feeling someone has phished my FB account. Please know I am FINE. So if you receive random notes or emails claiming I'm destitute in Korea and need money... trust I dont. :)Hopefully this FB issue will be resolved soon.

I had a blast with people on Skype today, I love you all and think I'm going to make Sundays( your saturday) my Skype Day for friends and family.  Speaking of technology I finally gave in a signed up for Twitter. You can find my Tweets at  http://twitter.com/SerendipitousKR .

Well I'm off to put finishing touches on my lesson plans for tomorrow. Tto poepket ssumnida!

Here's a link to my video blog MTV cribs Korean Style...

Confucius say: Korean shower is like rectal cleansing for the first time...strange and a bit uncomfortable yet very refreshing...

In Korea you can do what you want...

So as I sit down on my bed and reflect on the past 2 days I laugh at all the ridiculousness that has occurred.Some people say when it comes to Korea, you either love it or hate. Let me just say I love it! The people, the culture, the scenery and of course the food. And speaking of food let me share with you my most recent visit to E-Mart for groceries and home goods. After deciding that my baby fridge was empty and pitiful, my Korean friend Bella and I took the 20 minute stroll to E-Mart. It is unlike an other shopping experience you will ever have. Four floors of commercial bliss, from three piece suits , kimchi freezers to waffles. You want it..E-Mart's got it! You walk in to this super saver haven and you are greeted with sample girls in cute little 60's mod outfits complete with bell bottom leg warmers urging you to try some product. Then onto to the lower level supermarket... I shouldn't have just eaten dinner. there are E -Mart sales people in every aisle urging me try the various meats, vegetables, bread products and desserts. On top f the reasonably priced items,the free samples,and bargain two for one deals from the butcher, a little old Korean gave me free rice essence face mask for " my beauty" she  says. Kudos to  Korea's try before you buy attitude! But that's not the best part...Upon check out the cashier asks me if  I want to pay for it at once, I look at my friend Bella confused. She then informs me that I can put my groceries on a payment plan. Wide eyed I'm naturally surprised by this option. I smile and tell the the cashier that I will pay now. While laughing at my newest Korean discovery Bella looks at me and says so matter of factly " This is not America. This is Korea, you can do what you want!", gotta love it! In the mean time I've stocked my fridge and put up my super cute curtains from E-Mart. No more Korean peeping toms from across the alley.  That's the last time he catches me topless.
Since I'm blocked out of Facebok until the FB team igures out whats wrong with my email . I'm disconnected from most people.So in my down time at home, I decided to log into my beloved Pandora to listen to some tunes and to my utter shock and dismay Pandora doesn't stream to South Korea! WTF! Strike one! So then a little deflated I decide to watch a movie on Netflix's Watch Instantly application, and low and behold the service can not be accessed in Korea! Strike two!FML! So now I'm reduced to Yahoo Radio and calling  the Anyang the cable company immediately! Well, I guess it all cant be perfect!

Oh by the way I've been calling people and they haven't been picking up their phones! Listen people if I take the time to call you from the other side of the world, you damn well better pick up your phone. If it's an unknown number or a crazy number, pick it up, it's Me! Please people get Skype, it will make this sooo much easier!

Confucius say:  Before one moves overseas check your favorite sites for international access if not you will be mad like Korean with no Kimchi

First Impressions....

Well where to begin I've been here less than 24hrs and I have so much to tell already. The plane ride was fantastic. I never want to fly an American Airline again. Korean Air's service was by far the best flying experience I've ever had. Not to mention I was seated next to the coolest old Japanese man ever who  would not stop talking about traveling. He gave me a lesson on Japanese and Korean Tea traditions as well as a fun filled geography lesson using the LCD screens on our seats. I asked him " What American food do you like best?" he responded " Yes, yes I have been to Florida and Disney!" Obviously something was lost in translation. Upon our descent I peeked out the window to see a beautiful array  of islands and bluest water ever. "Welcome to Korea my surrogate Japanses grandpa said.
Amazed an a bit in shock I took it all in. Once we landed it was a breeze through baggage claim and customs. My recruiter picked me and we headed the hour from Seoul Airport to Anyang by car. Oh PS. the navigation system looks like a video game and sounds like a digital Korean sex doll. It even giggles! Gotta love it.
Once arriving in Anyang the neon lights and cars darting in and out of traffic reminded me a a mini Korean version of New York City. Coffee shops and cell phone stores on every corner and fashionably dressed Korean girls waving as we pass by. We arrived at my apartment., which is much nicer than I had anticipated, and you cant beat the heated floors. My co-worker Chris another expat teacher took me out for my first Korean dinner at Mandoo. It cost a whopping $4.00! Good times! We finished our evening with a cone from Cold Stone... Ok not the most Korean dessert ever but it sure was good. In the streets young Koreans jump at the chance to say "hello" and practice other English phrases like "what's up" or "how's it hangin, dude!" I smile and say hi.
Too tired to unpack I Skyped friends and family, showered in my wet room and was careful not to wet my toilet paper and called it a night. This morning I got up, and prepared myself for my first official day in Anyang. It's a beautiful city. Even though it's quite urban its set against a backdrop of beautiful mountains. When leaving the apartment this morning I stopped in the middle of my block, looked around and thought, "Wow I actually live here now". I walk about 5 minutes to the bus stop and take the route for about 10 minutes , it lets me off at the mouth of an intersection about a mile from my school. Here comes the hard part, as I look up I see these beautiful mountains and at the base of the mountain is my school. It's about a mile hike up this steep incline to my middle school then a journey up 2 loooong flights of stairs. Omg...next time I'm packing a water bottle and maybe a tent to camp out if I get too tired. As I walk up the hill students are waving say " hi miss" and bowing. I greet them in Korean, and they giggle saying " you speak good Korean!"
Reaching the top of what seems the never ending hill, I find the middle school situated right next to the highschool. I say gooodbye to Chris and head towards the door. Inside I find wide eyed smiling Koreans saying " Welcome". I am shown my desk, given ESL books, a laptop and a cup of coffee. "is this good?" she asks... the best first day I've ever had. My assistant teacher Ms. Kim shows me my classroom and tells me it will be renovated in 2 weeks , so Im excited... and then come the mobs. Swarms of smiling, and bowing Korean teenagers flock to me in the hallway, staring , asking questions and giggling.
I wasn't even supposed to teach today but I couldnt help myself! They wanted to know everything about me and wanted to tell me everything. Most didnt have the English vocabulary for conversation, but they tried their best. The class was hillarious and somehow I ended up rapping Salt-N-Peppas "Shoop" ...lol OMG I need to learn the words to more American songs...it was the only one I could think of off hand. They clapped and cheered... I couldnt stop laughing. Needless to say I'm like the Beyonce of Sungmoon Middle School. haha. Groups of girls come into my office saying "hi" all afternoon. I am told I am "very pretty teacher who smells nice". I bow and thank them. Afterwards I head to lunch with the English faculty. Pickled raddish, spicy lentil soup, some sort of omlette, rice, sweetened seaweed ( my new fav) I could get used to eating like this everyday. Throughout lunch my colleagues and I butchered the semblence of an English conversation. Other faculty came over saying how comfortable I look eating with chopsticks and I sound like a real Korean I smile and say "gamsu hamnida" ( thank you).
So now I'm planning my lessons for next week, in between the frequent visits from my students. So far I've had a blast. I cant wait to see what tomorrow holds...

P.s : for those of you who are wondering... I can't sign into Facebook,so if you need to get in contact with me drop me an email at trueartinmotion@yahoo.com or Skype me at Beautifulrapture.

Confucuis say: Life in Korea is like biting in Korean rice cake unusual, and unexpectedly sweet.

Twas the night before take off...

 Twas the night before take off and all the house...not another item could fit not even a blouse...
So, it's the night before and I'm a sea of ambiguity. I'm excited about my impending flight, however I'm worried that I'm not nervous. A week from now somewhere in a market  in South Korea, will freak out and have some outlandish panic attack, or is this just the natural progression of things in my new life? All packed and ready to go! OMG .. I just realized I left Fivel in Rochester...he's been my constant travel buddy for 24 yrs. I cant believe he wont be coming to Korea with me.( yes I do mean the stuffed mouse from American Tale) I just had an awesome meal prepared by one of my besties. How lucky am I? As the sleepiness from my meal sets in,  I am a little sad that I didn't get to see a few people before leaving, but time constraints didn't allow maximum chillage.
After talking with my other Dominican mother, she informs me that she can weigh and  repack my bags. I jump at the opportunity. She proceeds to pull out a silver boiling pot w/ strainer attached and sets its atop a bathroom scale. Still confused, with a skeptical  eye I watch as she puts my luggage n top of the pot and weighs my luggage. " 75 lbs" she says. She then flips my bag over, opens it, and starts to unbox cold medicine, toothpaste, tampons and other miscellaneous toiletries. After which she repacks the bag in a orderly and intricate fashion so that every item has its own space, then opens up a couple of bar of soap and says " the soap makes your luggage smell nice!". The guru zips the bag and puts it back of the handmade weighing contraption and it reads 68 lbs! Eureka!!! As I watch this packing master at work on my next two bags, shifting, packing and stuffing I take careful note of her packing secrets. That's how it's done in D.R!
She's a professional ladies and gentlemen, don't try this at home!  If you are interested in her services, please drop me line and I will forward your information:)
n the spirit of change,we then decided to take my measurements, because every girl needs a pre-Korean diet size up...let's just say the results were less than desirable. So...30 days from today I'll measure again and see how the Korean diet affects my waist size. Trading in the burgers for bulgogi and the chips for kimchi.
Tonight has been full of surprises and useful information. I look forward to knocking out on the 14 hour plane ride. Next time you hear from me I'll be Korea bound.


Confucius say: well packed luggage is like money in the bank, if you are broke a Dominican mother you can thank

Leaving on a jet plane...

Okay people the time has finally arrived, I depart in less than 72 hours!
After all the planning a preparation, the time is finally here. I'm so pumped, I dont even know if I'm going to be able to sleep. Who knew I could change my life so drastically in 65 days, there's something to be said for the power of determination. I look forward to all the cultural idosyncrasies and experiences that await me in Korea.
For those of you who want to come visit, just drop me a line with your travel plans and I'll make sure to have some bimbibop, dak gui and kimchi waiting for you.  By then hopefully I will have learned    Beyonce's "Single Ladies" in Korean so we can kill it at the Karoke Bar :).So packing turned out pretty well considering I didn't have Fran the Packing Nazi with me! I'm off to NYC to veg out and see my besties before the flight. I will try not to cry at the terminal, but those of you who know me know Im like a moon pie, all chocloately and seemingly hard on the outside, but inside I'm nothin but goo. Maybe I need to pack a box of kleenex in my carry-on. Surprisingly I'm pretty at ease about leaving. I feel like I should be nervous or scared but that couldn't be any further from the truth. I'm calm as a cucumber.
I do want to take a moment to say thank you to all my friends and family who have supported me in this decision.I love you all and I can't wait to take you along on this journey with me.
Oh and I've finally figured out how to work my phone's video camera, so look forward to video blogs on the horizon. I'm off to finish the last bit of packing and practice my Korean.

Luggage: $150, Ticket: $833, Visa: $45, A year teaching in Korea: PRICELESS!


Confucius say:  traveling to Korea requires an open mind and strong stomach... for he who has not the latter might make a splatter!

Skype,Visas, and Bootlegging...Oh my!

So this evening I had a crazy conversation with one of my besties! She calls me and as we're talking I get a Skype call. I tell her how cool Skype is and, how she needs to try it. Within minutes she has her profile, screen name and picture ready to chat with the tag line" now I can chat with my boos around the world!". Well needless to say within minutes of our chatting, she receives multiple Skype requests one from an Austrailian, a fellow American and another stranger hailing from some Arab country that seems to have eluded both us of during middleschool Geography.Who knew Skype could be yet another tool for social internet stalking. Oh the joys of technology. While cracking up with Fran.. laughing at the grammatical errors of strangers( I promise it's not as bad as it sounds) I get a call from my recruiter saying..wait for it....that she has my visa confirmation number and it is time to call the Korean Consulate! JACKPOT! The waiting is over and it seems my stay in visa purgatory is coming to a close. Excited, I grab my phone, and begin to dial as my bestie reminds me it is 1:00am in America and to slow my roll! I gracioulsy thanked my recruiter and told her I would follow up with the consulate tomorrow morning. She then proceeds to tell me that this will be quite a fast process and we should look into buying my ticket in a few days! OMG.. Im such a slacker... I haven't even packed all my stuff ( and by all I mean I just brought my suitcases upstairs today!) Ms.Yu informs me the school is eager for me to start ( ie. get movin it... time to go!)  So I say good night to her and tell her I will follow up her via email tomorrow.
Back to the wonders of Skype...my bestie has in the mean time fallen victim to the perversely predatory remarks of a middle aged Aussie. Oh no! While chatting she asks to see pictures of my apartment and I send them via Skype which by the way is pretty awesome. After viewing the pics she asks " whats that silver thing in your bathroom? where's the shower...? I then explained that my washing machine was in fact a permanent fixture in the bathroom and, oh no I have a shower head,slope in the floor, and a drain but no actual "shower" to speak of. She folds her arms and begins laughing hysterically.. "good luck with that!". We then discuss the possibility of importing a 100 gallon plastic bin from Wal-Mart so I could take a bath after along day. Hey, necessity is the mother of invention...
Speaking of friends, a friend of mine who currently resides in Seoul told me about Dunkin Donuts in Korea. On the menu was red bean curry doughnuts and possibly green tea custard filled doughnuts... hmmm...sounds interesting, but what I wouldn't give for just a chocolate glaze.Apparently unlike America, Korea doesn't run on Dunkin.
On a random note: At my going away party many of my friends were excited about my going to Korea and the well known knowledge that Korea is home of the Remi Weave, 14, 18, 20...1b or 1? Others were excited about the technological advances and the availability of the all coveted bootlegs.My question is... Will someone come up to me a say they have Jay-Z's Blueprint V album?
Well people we are getting down to the wire and I can see Korea on the horizon. This dream is about to become a reality. Wish me luck at the consulate! Until next time....

Confucius say: good bootleg is like good hooker, found on any street corner and you cant beat the price...

Atempting Korean...

So after countless hours this evening/morning of once again scowering Youtube for my favorite how-to-speak-Korean show... Let's Speak Korean with Lisa Kelly! I decided to give it a go. Putting my all into it ,  I practiced survival Korean phrases such as how are you?, my name is, nice to meet you, i am a teacher, where is the bathroom, thank you, sorry ,please, yes,and no.

As I watch and mimic Ms. Kelly and Arirang TV "skits" my step dad comes into the office and looks at me strange because, I'm sure what sounds like awesome Korean to me, sounds like a crazed deaf person yelling at the computer to him. He smiles and tells me to knock myself out. Umm... yeah maybe it doesn't sound as awesome as I tought. *Note to self: practice Korean with headphones, when no one is home.

I am determined to know some Korean before I step foot off the plane. I read about some expatriate teachers currently living in Korea who have been there for years and have yet to accquire the language. I refuse to live somewhere where I dont know what's being said to me or how to order a meal. I will not use and translator! I will not use a translator! I will learn basic Korean, with the help of Youtube and long sleepless nights. What better way to be productive in my insomnia.

Anyways, today I also found an African American girl who not only spoke Korean but sang Korean pop songs. I was impressed. Umm yeah, I will be striving to sing "Gee" in Korean six months from now...watch out! So until next time people...안녕히계세요 : (annyeonghi gyeseyo)!

Confucius say: one must learn the langauge of the country in which they live or one might end up eating puppy instead of poultry!

Oh the waiting...

Well yesterday, I put my little on the plane back to FAMU:(. I'm going to miss mini me. She is the source of my constant laughter and occasional asthma attack. So now I'm alone with my thoughts and into the countdown. I get a Skype call from my recruiter letting me know to call the Korean Consulate. I call them. They tell me to call back next week with my visa number, come in for my appointment, leave my passport and come back in three days for my Visa. Seems simple enough right? Now it's just a matter of the waiting...Ugh! For an impatient person... this seems like an eternity. So now I'm trying to be productive while in limbo, putting together respectable teacher outfits, learning Korean via Youtube ( who says it cant be educational),making time to veg out with friends and family, and putting in my loan deferral letters to the MAN. :) Maybe I'll start on my crocheting projects that Rachel got me. Nothing says loving like crocheted mittens with a Korean flag on the palm. Anyone want a crocheted beret, maybe long underwear with a poo flap?

Oh and another thing, I cant sleep! I stay up all night scowering Youtube for Korean lessons, talking to my recruiter and friends already in Korea via Skype.I sleep most days til noon. I'll chalk that up to trying to reset my internal clock for the upcoming time change.

So... here's to waiting!

Confucius say:  Waiting is like a bad hair do... in the beginning it's fun but as time goes on you begin to get nervous...

The countdown, the temporary sadness and the "die-hards"

Sorry...It's been a few days. Oh my goodness it's October already! It seems only yesterday I was applying. It all happened so fast. Before I know it I'll be boarding the plane and saying "See you next year!" Someone told me the other day " never forget you are where God wants you to be, life happens and always for a reason" I thought that was pretty powerful and so true.
Today, I talked to my recruiter and she told me,I would have my visa number next week! Now it's off to the Korean Consulate in NYC to take care of the rest. Looks like I'll be taking a few days in the city :) then it will be time to book my flight!
I came home from a wonderful weekend with my besties to find my mother had upgraded my "T1 and T2" luggage to a very snazzy Samsonite Trio. Now I have more room for more stuff...Ugh...! I was supposed to be minimizing my list. Speaking of family, I was sitting with my little, and we were chatting about God knows what, and I stopped and looked at my teenage sister realizing that the next time I see her she'll be 20. It made me sad for a moment, as she smiled at me asking "what's wrong?" I thought all the moments I take for granted that I will miss in the coming year...
I know, I'm getting a little sappy .I promise...no tears, but I wanted to take a minute and talk about friendship. Over the course of one's lifetime, an individual acquires a myriad of friends. But there are a select few that I like to call "die-hards". These are the friends who are there through the bad hair days, break-ups, and life changing moments, and are only ever but a phone call away no matter the hour. In the recent months I've been through all of the above mentioned! My "die-hards" have been there with me, every step of the way. They've been supportive of the changes I've made in my life and continue to encourage me on this road of self discovery. Not every woman can say she has these type of friends in her corner. I'm glad to say that I don't know where I'd be without my "die-hards". They are my words of comfort, my pillars or strength, and my source of constant laughter. After spending some much needed Q.T. with my "die-hards" this weekend, it saddens me to leave these wonderful women behind as I travel to Korea. But I know, no matter what, when, or how they are all but a phone call away!

Confucius say: Die-hard friends are like quality toilet paper...hard to find but always a comfort when you seriously need it