Day 44 (I think)
I'm tired, you know? I think in that this-isn't-so-cool-anymore phase. At chruch two other teachers told me that my school sounded like a horror story, like a bad hagwon ( which also implied that even after all my research I still couldn't pick a decent school) and that the ceremonial mask is a bad thing to be called, that it's an insult. So, now I'm confused and hurt. It seems that for the life of me I can't find a Christian who knows as much about the Bible or is as interested in living it as I am. That's pretty sad, I'm not exactly an ace Christian. I started reading Seeing and Savoring God, so thanks to whoever got that for me.
I'm having more problems with my problem students and less with my better students. Still want to be at the top of that mountain but it's sweltering outside. Finally figured otu that fruit and veggies should be bought off of street vendors ( I got 8 cucumbers for 2 thousand won on the street as compared to two cumbers for about 3 thousand won at the store), not at grocery stores, and the local bakery is cheeper than the grocery store for bread. Medicines seem pretty cheep. 2 dollars for 10 day's worth of claratin. Eating at restraunts a normal meal is 3 dollars. It seems the korean economy isn't doing so hot, which annoys me because of money value but then they need to speak english so at least i'm a comodity. Here I'm like an IT guy would be in the states.
I miss having close friends. I miss being able to talk about the heart of God with my friends. I miss clothes and shoes being in my size. I hate it when people tell me I should assume the worst about others. One guy said today "never underestimate the xenophobia (of koreans)" This is frustrating. who do I beleive? They're PEOPLE too, you know? No matter what country, language, or culture they're from they're still people. People who need love, who need Christ, who need other people.
Bleh, I fell asleep for like...two and a half hours. Still feel tired. And, I can't breathe out of one side of my nose. So, that makes sense though. Why I might be tired.
Lets see. Working back in my weeked. I just woke up from a dream where I was able to have a real deep conversation about Christ with someone and traveled with my korean coteachers about some town. Church, well, what I was there for sounded good. I got there really late. (I underestimated the time of somethings) . Of course lunch wasn't so great after Don left. At least he seems positive. The others were the ones who were telling me how bad my situation was. of course they were also talking up dave's esl cafe. I had a giant banana pancake for lunch. That would probably explain why my stomach is cramping. Ah, but I'm much more familiar with the areas now. I also think that they need to add a new subway line, or two in Daejeon. It's too big to have only one. The one should at least make a loop.
Ok, yesterday I climbed the mountain to the very top. That was pretty awesome. I can't believe how amazing it looks up there, and how high I climb in an hour. In my dream there was a mountain that stretched up in to the clouds. I told Sarah that one HAD to be snowcapped. And I wanted to climb it. lol. I went and saw Handcock with Nichole. It was a good movie. Bought a clothe wallet for 12 thousand won (O.o highway robbery much?). Nichole also pointed out that when I'm stressed I get really bossy. She said she does too (very nice, softening the blow and all). She said we both need to watch that or we'll not have any friends. I wonder if someone was mad at me for being bossy or if it was just starting to really bug her. Anyway, I'll try and pull back on the "since I'm stressed let me tell everyone what to do" attitude that I get (Oldest child, it comes naturally. She is an oldest child too). Ok, anyway, finally got conditioner. Cheepest I could find was 6 thousand won. That's right. So, this means I want giant bottles of my ausy stuff from america. I think even with shipping it might still be cheaper than here. We talked and I didn't do much else yesterday.
Friday was the ICC workshop which consisted of me waking up at 8:30 and a very still-bleary-eyed me sitting down next to the bench in front of the school at about 9:10. At which point I told all the men (who all smoke) that they were killing themselves and stared at my lap until it was time to go. We got on a tour bus, ate some snacks, I took some pictures, dozed a little, and by the time we stopped at the midpoint rest area for bathroom and lunch I was awake. Chris gave me his food I think. At least it was a group thing. When we got to where we were going I went to the bathroom (was nervous, though it turned out there was no need) then we put on life jacket and helmets and got oars and walked down to the river. At which point they instructors had us excersize a little and then get in the water to get used to it. Then we split into groups and got into three boats. Most of the next half an hour consisted of the instructor making us fall out of the boat. Then we rowed, one two one two hana set haha set. Then there was a tiny rapid and a break area where I had two boiled eggs. Then we crossed the river to the other side and jumped off a rock. Me, Jannet, and Linnet did it three times. It was fun, and only about ten feet from rock to water. A lot of the korean women were freaked out, and neither of the african americans in our group know how to swim. How odd is that? Is it cultural? I pushed one of the coteachers in because I figured if I didn't the instructors would throw her in (they would, they'd done it to several women already) and I also thought it was all in sport. I'm not sure she took it that way. I can't tell if she's mad at me. The instructors were very impressed with me though. Oh, and then there was the boat race (happened before the eggs). To say I was competitive was an understatement and I got really pissy when the guys on our boat kept quitting. If you compete you do it to win. And what's with stopping? It wasn't that far and I thought koreans were supposed to be in better shape than the rest of the world. Ok, but we won, so I was happy (and the next day I would be sore, but that was good. Still wouldn't have a tan though). Chris kept splashing our boat when his would get near it. It was annoying. A few more rapids, then it was over. All in all about two and a half hours and much much easier and safer than I thought it would be. The only problems came when the instructor (all of whom were hot btw, like beach boys) would make us fall out and I would have to be pulled in (I could almost get myself in, but not quite). This one time Hoony pulled me up and I fell back on him, I thought it was kind of ironic and emberassing so I laughed. Apparently one of the buckles on my lifejacket tore open his leg. I gave him a bandaid and neosporon later. I don't weigh considerably more than most of the girls here (save kina and nichole, who are petite) but I still often feel huge. I felt huge for crushing Hooney. I also wish he'd waited for hte instructor, who could pull all of us up with no problem and perch us on the side of the raft. Anyway, slept most of the way back.
Dinner we all went to this lettus wrap table grill place. And that was good. Tried silk worms. Not so good, but I tried them. The food was good. Soju not so much. I now think of it like rice vodka. Anyway. It needed something in it I think. I had two shots, but man. The men drank a lot. Lauren matched them. Brave girl. then we left and walked to get icecream at a local quicky mart. Then we decided to go to a dance club. There we got a private kareoke room where we ate fruit and nuts and drank kamakasees (I only had one, then I was done drinking for the night). They really like those. Then kina kissed the principal. Then we danced. Then more drinking by most of the others (my glasses were turned over, ha! no more for me), then more dancing. There was some stripping to a thong bikini by one of the performers, that was...annoying. I don't need to see that stuff. The male performer only took off his shirt. Someone nearly knocked nichole over to get to Hoony. Some people nearly sepparated me from my group. the IT guy was way more flirty than I was comfortable with, knowing that he's married and all. By the end of the night I was telling him to go home to his wife. Yesterday nichole was saying she thought that was funny and shocking. She said I'm one of those people who would never cheat, and, in fact, makes other people be loyal too. I liked that she said that. Um, yeah, then Evan drove us back to ICC and Lauren wanted to talk and Kina came and sat between us and I think Lauren was contemplating killing her. She was oblivious to the other's ill intent. After half an hour of mostly kina talking I excused myself and lauren went with me. Went to bed. Woke up, spoke with my family, and climbed the mountain. Sweated out any alcohol left in my system.
Last week was...ok. Some parts were really good. others pretty bad. I just have to remember that I'm the boss and I know what I'm doing, AND these children need Christ and everyone around me is my mission field whether I want it or not. The feilds are white for harvest He said. Why, then, do I see them as already rotted?
I will post pictures soon. :-)
I'm having more problems with my problem students and less with my better students. Still want to be at the top of that mountain but it's sweltering outside. Finally figured otu that fruit and veggies should be bought off of street vendors ( I got 8 cucumbers for 2 thousand won on the street as compared to two cumbers for about 3 thousand won at the store), not at grocery stores, and the local bakery is cheeper than the grocery store for bread. Medicines seem pretty cheep. 2 dollars for 10 day's worth of claratin. Eating at restraunts a normal meal is 3 dollars. It seems the korean economy isn't doing so hot, which annoys me because of money value but then they need to speak english so at least i'm a comodity. Here I'm like an IT guy would be in the states.
I miss having close friends. I miss being able to talk about the heart of God with my friends. I miss clothes and shoes being in my size. I hate it when people tell me I should assume the worst about others. One guy said today "never underestimate the xenophobia (of koreans)" This is frustrating. who do I beleive? They're PEOPLE too, you know? No matter what country, language, or culture they're from they're still people. People who need love, who need Christ, who need other people.
Bleh, I fell asleep for like...two and a half hours. Still feel tired. And, I can't breathe out of one side of my nose. So, that makes sense though. Why I might be tired.
Lets see. Working back in my weeked. I just woke up from a dream where I was able to have a real deep conversation about Christ with someone and traveled with my korean coteachers about some town. Church, well, what I was there for sounded good. I got there really late. (I underestimated the time of somethings) . Of course lunch wasn't so great after Don left. At least he seems positive. The others were the ones who were telling me how bad my situation was. of course they were also talking up dave's esl cafe. I had a giant banana pancake for lunch. That would probably explain why my stomach is cramping. Ah, but I'm much more familiar with the areas now. I also think that they need to add a new subway line, or two in Daejeon. It's too big to have only one. The one should at least make a loop.
Ok, yesterday I climbed the mountain to the very top. That was pretty awesome. I can't believe how amazing it looks up there, and how high I climb in an hour. In my dream there was a mountain that stretched up in to the clouds. I told Sarah that one HAD to be snowcapped. And I wanted to climb it. lol. I went and saw Handcock with Nichole. It was a good movie. Bought a clothe wallet for 12 thousand won (O.o highway robbery much?). Nichole also pointed out that when I'm stressed I get really bossy. She said she does too (very nice, softening the blow and all). She said we both need to watch that or we'll not have any friends. I wonder if someone was mad at me for being bossy or if it was just starting to really bug her. Anyway, I'll try and pull back on the "since I'm stressed let me tell everyone what to do" attitude that I get (Oldest child, it comes naturally. She is an oldest child too). Ok, anyway, finally got conditioner. Cheepest I could find was 6 thousand won. That's right. So, this means I want giant bottles of my ausy stuff from america. I think even with shipping it might still be cheaper than here. We talked and I didn't do much else yesterday.
Friday was the ICC workshop which consisted of me waking up at 8:30 and a very still-bleary-eyed me sitting down next to the bench in front of the school at about 9:10. At which point I told all the men (who all smoke) that they were killing themselves and stared at my lap until it was time to go. We got on a tour bus, ate some snacks, I took some pictures, dozed a little, and by the time we stopped at the midpoint rest area for bathroom and lunch I was awake. Chris gave me his food I think. At least it was a group thing. When we got to where we were going I went to the bathroom (was nervous, though it turned out there was no need) then we put on life jacket and helmets and got oars and walked down to the river. At which point they instructors had us excersize a little and then get in the water to get used to it. Then we split into groups and got into three boats. Most of the next half an hour consisted of the instructor making us fall out of the boat. Then we rowed, one two one two hana set haha set. Then there was a tiny rapid and a break area where I had two boiled eggs. Then we crossed the river to the other side and jumped off a rock. Me, Jannet, and Linnet did it three times. It was fun, and only about ten feet from rock to water. A lot of the korean women were freaked out, and neither of the african americans in our group know how to swim. How odd is that? Is it cultural? I pushed one of the coteachers in because I figured if I didn't the instructors would throw her in (they would, they'd done it to several women already) and I also thought it was all in sport. I'm not sure she took it that way. I can't tell if she's mad at me. The instructors were very impressed with me though. Oh, and then there was the boat race (happened before the eggs). To say I was competitive was an understatement and I got really pissy when the guys on our boat kept quitting. If you compete you do it to win. And what's with stopping? It wasn't that far and I thought koreans were supposed to be in better shape than the rest of the world. Ok, but we won, so I was happy (and the next day I would be sore, but that was good. Still wouldn't have a tan though). Chris kept splashing our boat when his would get near it. It was annoying. A few more rapids, then it was over. All in all about two and a half hours and much much easier and safer than I thought it would be. The only problems came when the instructor (all of whom were hot btw, like beach boys) would make us fall out and I would have to be pulled in (I could almost get myself in, but not quite). This one time Hoony pulled me up and I fell back on him, I thought it was kind of ironic and emberassing so I laughed. Apparently one of the buckles on my lifejacket tore open his leg. I gave him a bandaid and neosporon later. I don't weigh considerably more than most of the girls here (save kina and nichole, who are petite) but I still often feel huge. I felt huge for crushing Hooney. I also wish he'd waited for hte instructor, who could pull all of us up with no problem and perch us on the side of the raft. Anyway, slept most of the way back.
Dinner we all went to this lettus wrap table grill place. And that was good. Tried silk worms. Not so good, but I tried them. The food was good. Soju not so much. I now think of it like rice vodka. Anyway. It needed something in it I think. I had two shots, but man. The men drank a lot. Lauren matched them. Brave girl. then we left and walked to get icecream at a local quicky mart. Then we decided to go to a dance club. There we got a private kareoke room where we ate fruit and nuts and drank kamakasees (I only had one, then I was done drinking for the night). They really like those. Then kina kissed the principal. Then we danced. Then more drinking by most of the others (my glasses were turned over, ha! no more for me), then more dancing. There was some stripping to a thong bikini by one of the performers, that was...annoying. I don't need to see that stuff. The male performer only took off his shirt. Someone nearly knocked nichole over to get to Hoony. Some people nearly sepparated me from my group. the IT guy was way more flirty than I was comfortable with, knowing that he's married and all. By the end of the night I was telling him to go home to his wife. Yesterday nichole was saying she thought that was funny and shocking. She said I'm one of those people who would never cheat, and, in fact, makes other people be loyal too. I liked that she said that. Um, yeah, then Evan drove us back to ICC and Lauren wanted to talk and Kina came and sat between us and I think Lauren was contemplating killing her. She was oblivious to the other's ill intent. After half an hour of mostly kina talking I excused myself and lauren went with me. Went to bed. Woke up, spoke with my family, and climbed the mountain. Sweated out any alcohol left in my system.
Last week was...ok. Some parts were really good. others pretty bad. I just have to remember that I'm the boss and I know what I'm doing, AND these children need Christ and everyone around me is my mission field whether I want it or not. The feilds are white for harvest He said. Why, then, do I see them as already rotted?
I will post pictures soon. :-)