Friday April 3 (Happy birthday, Daddy!)
Melinda, Dennis, Mike, and I go to RnB, the foreigner bar in Bucheon on Friday, where we meet up with Katie, Tea (one of our Korean co-teachers), and Matt (a newbie to Korea, who we met earlier this week at RnB). We eat dinner, have a couple of drinks, listen to the good but overly loud band play, and enjoy a couple rounds of darts and pool. I beat Mike for the first time EVER at pool, but he always kicks my butt at darts.
Mike, Matt and I walk around the neighborhood afterwards, intending to go dumpster diving for beautiful furniture. Koreans have this “keeping up with the Jones'” thing (or the Kims, as the case may be). Even if they have perfectly good furniture, they tend to buy new stuff, to show their affluence. Unluckily, this is a bad time of the month for it (it is just before payday for us, so I figure that may be the case for many people). We give up after about a half hour of nothing except a small white leather footstool that is of no interest to any of us.
Saturday April 4
I go to Holly's coffee shop to read David Copperfield about 30 minutes before I am supposed to meet everyone. I am almost finished with a very moving chapter while everyone trickles in and am not able to savor the metaphor that Copperfield feels just as dead (forever changed, never to return) as his baby brother. One by one Mike, Matt, Melinda, Abbie (another fairly new acquaintance of mine), Kristina, and Katie show up. We also expect to meet up with Abbie and Kristina's friend Jennifer.
Originally we want to go see the cherry blossom festival, but are informed that it doesn't start until Monday (you know how finicky trees can be!), so at first we decide to go to Bupion Market (a massive and really inexpensive underground shopping market two stops away from us on the subway), but deciding that the beautiful sunny day cannot be wasted we head into Seoul in search of the Olympic National Park.
Unfortunately we get off at the wrong stop, and so head to Namdaemun Market instead, where we happen upon a delightful scene. We witness by total coincidence the changing of the guard at one of the Joseon dynasty palaces. At first I don't care much, but that changes when I hear the music of men playing bugles, conk shells, big powerful drums, and this kind of strange small rack of metal drums with different pitches to them. There is a drum in the courtyard, beautifully painted, that must be six feet tall and when one of the men in the procession wails on it, my whole body freezes in awe. Kristina, Melinda, Katie, Abbie, and Jennifer all try on hanboks (traditional Korean clothes) for free and get their pictures taken. Mike Matt and I opt out and instead offer to help take photos.
Namdaemun is pretty cool. If ever you see pictures of East Asia, with masses of people walking down a narrow marketplace, this is the image I see. Sometimes people push, motor cycles try to get through, old woman (adjimas) and old men (adjishi) set up their wares in the middle of the narrow road. I see everything from brined ginseng, to pork joints, to US Army surplus supplies (including a $15 leatherman—something I've wanted for years. I nearly buy it but pass it up because I'm broke and see no immediate need for it). I see touristy charms for cell phones, massive posters of Korean boy band singers, beautiful shoes that are too small, the most gaudy pink headbands (Mike says many Korean women have a “princess complex”). We see a man whose sales shtick is to wear the most ridiculous outfit: a women's pink padded bra with silver tassels on his head, a gold sequined shirt, another bra around his chest, and a women's shawl over one shoulder. The crowd laughs and takes photos. He is selling super cheap clothes, that are on a big platform, which people dig through to find a good deal. It makes me wish I brought my camera.
I stop by another rummage table where I find a really cute zip up lightweight hoodie in my size, along with another couple of clothes that could fit me (I needn't lose heart about finding a few items of clothing after all!). It is light blue, with the American Apparel look to it (white drawstrings). I buy it for 2,500 won which is $2.50. I love Korea! You can't even get a thing like this at Goodwill in America for that price.
At this point, it is nearly 7 pm and we're a little worn out. We split up, some going out to dinner, and the others (us poor folk), go home to cook our own dinners. Mike, Melinda, Matt, and I take the subway home. Melinda and I have some intensely detailed talk about fashion which makes the guys' eyes glaze over. We see a sign in the cab on the way home from the subway station called “Exstream” and laugh our heads off at the misspelling. Mike, Matt and I stop by a street vendor who sells corn dogs for a buck. It is the best darn corn dog I have ever tasted with a thick thick thick breading. We stand there and eat it in front of the adjima (old woman) vendor. She has a thing for Mike and every time we go visit her, she comments about how pretty his face is or his eyes are, etc.
I get home and look at my messy apartment, and decide that, even though it is only about 8 pm, I am too tired to clean up. I crawl into bed already changed into jammies and dink around on the computer. I feel really happy. It occurs to me that my feet are in awful condition, so I do a girlie night foot soak pedicure, manicure, and face scrub in my apartment. Ahhh, much better.
Sunday April 5
I go to Holly's Coffee to read again and make it about 1.5 hours before I have to leave to find a restroom in the apartment complex next door. Seeing the beautiful day makes me want to make the most of it. I walk to the park where hundreds of people are spending their Sunday afternoon. There are children everywhere! The street beside the park is blocked off, where kids can ride rented bicycles, go carts, or roller blade down the street. I don't know if I've ever seen so many little babies all together as I see at the park, and I have a hard time believing that Korea's population is decreasing every generation.
Monday April 6
I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but it is important to note that the school uses video cameras in all of the classrooms. Originally installed in case of a lawsuit, it has now become the way for both parents and Korean staff to monitor our every action. On a big screen TV in the main lobby, anyone can view the most minute facial expressions of the teacher's class time and complain about everything. I can't help but think in every single class I teach, how the class looks on the camera. There is no sound recording, so I sometimes feel obligated to make things look better than they are since the camera cannot convey my lessons. Please do not think, however, that this means I neglect my students to look good. I just make sure that (as with everything in Korea, it seems) I am keeping in mind that people are always watching and judging.
Thursday April 7
I receive a lot of attention at work today from my boss, who I normally try to see as little as I can, not because she is evil or anything, it is just a live and let live situation. I like being my own boss. Most of the time, since I do all my work, I don't get caught in private conversations with her. Anyway, the curriculum says I am not supposed to start a new book for shared reading in pre-kindergarten yet, and my students finish all of the workbook pages, so I make a quick worksheet in the morning before class. I draw about 5-10 pictures that have to do with the story and then write the word next to them. Then there is a space in which the student is supposed to practice writing the word. I have words such as: car, lights, wheels, trunk, stop sign, slow sign, road, stop light, and bus on the worksheet. Dana is also having trouble finding materials to fill in the extra time, so I let her photocopy my sheets. During Dana's class, Grace stops in to see what they are doing, and upon seeing the worksheet exclaims how much she likes them. She is so impressed, in fact, that she wants me to keep them in a folder for next year's students (which by the way, I have already done). I am embarrassed and don't really want her attention. Unluckily (I know it sounds contrary), I catch her commending eye again when she sees the “Vocabulary Jeopardy” board I've made and laminated for R7 in order to encourage them to study their vocab words in exchange for prizes. I want to well for myself and for my students, but I don't really care about the rest. It's not for school, its for the kids.
At home I sit down to my computer to check up on Facebook and randomly notice Andy (an acquaintance from college) has posted a link to a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UE3CNu_rtY) which I click on. It takes place in the Antwerp Central Station, and involves Julie Andrew's singing Doe A Deer. Without giving away too much, in case you'd like to watch it, I'll just say that it isn't sad but that all of the sudden I start bawling. I mean really crying my eyes out, and kind of hiccuping at some of the funny parts while I cry. All I can say is that it must be the stress of work blasting out of my system in a way I have been needing. I don't sleep enough. Work is hard. It just flows out of me all of the sudden without warning.
Friday April 10 Happy Birthday Mom!
I get paid on Friday, and determining to eat something besides super-cheap corn-dogs or gimbap (veggie sushi), plan to head out to RnB, the foreigner bar, for dinner. My plan is disappointed because everyone wants to do their own thing and I am too nervous to go there by myself, for there is nothing to do there that could be used as an excuse for sitting alone for a couple of hours hoping to meet people without seeming hopelessly pathetic. Mike goes with me for a beer, and we meet up with Matt, who plays a round of darts with us. Mike goes home, and I try to act like I am OK, hanging out with people I don't know, but feel really awkward as I only have one acquaintance there. I go home lonely and disappointed.
Saturday April 11
I go into Seoul in the afternoon with Mike, Melinda, Katie, Kristina, Abbie, and Jennifer. We plan to go see the Cherry Blossoms at Yeouido Park. We go the wrong direction and see beautiful trees and a cool roller-blading and bicycle park. But no cherry trees. The group we have has such different interests, that it is difficult to have a good time—some people are hungry, some are not, some have a headache, some want to see a bookstore, some want to go shopping. We try to do a little of everything, which in my mind meant we did almost nothing. The day was, however, beautiful and I am glad I went because I spent a lot of time outdoors, and got a lot of walking exercise and stair-climbing in at the subway stations. We go to Itaewon to visit “What the Book,” and English bookstore just before it closes. We go to Baskin Robbins where several of the girls order a chocolate fondue and ice cream set. We browse the clothing stores and scoff at the ridiculously high prices. We take the train home, then most everyone takes a cab. Mike teaches me how to get home via walking. I get hopelessly turned around despite his good instructions. Everything looks the same at night.
Sunday April 12
I go to the coffee shop in the evening, at about 7 or 8 pm, after having done nothing all day except talk with David on the phone for an hour. I am really happy to talk with him over Skype. I read David Copperfield a little (but not much) and run into Mike, who is on his way to the laundromat. He mentions Easter, and I am surprised to realize that Easter has nearly come and gone without my realizing it. Though Easter has never been especially significant, I do think of it as a time for family, and of a nice brunch with my siblings, usually over German pancakes.
Workweek
I join the gym a block away from the school and go on Monday through Thursday. I get a 4 month long membership for 100,000 won ($100). I like going there despite the fact that the bad music is so loud my ears hurt. It's interesting to see how people exercise differently here. No one really runs on the treadmills, they walk and maybe one or two of them will do a slow jog. At home, no wonder people give up at the gym, all of the gyms I have been to in the US have people all running or trying to run. To walk makes you feel unequal to the other members. Here, no one seems to care if you just walk.
I get pretty impatient with my students during the week, though they probably do not notice. But I notice I am not as pleasant or light hearted as normal and it begins to worry me.
Friday April 17
I hit my limit. I am so tired by the end of the week. I am disappointed that no one wants to go out, I am pissed that the guy at the phone store is sitting there but won't upload minutes on my phone until the next day (and I am totally out of minutes). I am tired, overworked, disappointed, and wound so tight that I bawl my eyes out on the way home.
At home I begin to chill out a little. I take a stress test on SparkPeople.com that asks questions like: How many cups of coffee do you drink a day? (answer: about 5-7), How many hours do you sleep a night? (answer: fewer than six), Do you have a relative or confidant within 50 miles? (Nope), Do you work more than forty hours a week? (Yes, almost 60), etc., etc. After taking the test, I actually feel more relaxed. I realize I have hit my limit. Two months is usually about the amount of time I can push myself before I fall apart. I resolve to take better care of myself, including drinking water, sleeping, having quiet alone time, and continuing at the gym. I go to sleep early and wake the next morning feeling much better.
Saturday April 18
I go to Holly's and read about 50 pages of David Copperfield. I get invited to go to the park with Mike, Matt, Melinda, and Katie. We drink soju and orange juice, or else drink beer, and attempt to volley at badmitton. We pretty much fail at this but are pleasant enough about it. Mike, Matt and I play with those awesome velcro ball-and mitt sets that were so popular in the early 90s. I try to get some sunshine. I drink a little too much soju for four PM, and go home and sleep it off. I wake at 10 PM and try to go back to sleep for the night, fearing my schedule will get screwed up. I have weird dreams about my students and wake at 8 AM feeling fresh as a daisy. My old depression quite dissipated.
Sunday April 19
I have a productive and happy day including 50 pages of reading at the coffee shop, a month's worth of dishes washed, a mobile hanging closet purchased and assembled and about 70 items of clothing hung up. I even get to talk with David and Clare on the phone for almost an hour. I intend to go to the bathhouse gimgil-baan this evening. A much better day.
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