Busy Day for a Sick Girl

I spent the week trying to pretend that I wasn't getting sick again, but by Friday, there was no hiding it. Whatever I had before is back, and it is just as awful as it was the last time around.

Today I needed to teach a demonstration class at school for prospective kindergartners. I did a short lesson in which I taught the seven kids how to introduce themselves and the names of five colors (red, yellow, blue, green, and orange). We then made alligator puppets. I concluded by teaching them the "Alligator Song" (it's a song that I made up one day when my youngest class wouldn't sit still and was driving me mad). The kids all seemed to have a good time, so hopefully Cate will have a nice batch of new kindies new year (I'll be gone when the new class starts).

After the demonstration class, Cate took me out for lunch. While we were eating, I mentioned that I needed to get my hair trimmed (the last trim was back in the US - yikes!) and asked if she could write out some instructions for me in Hanguel. Cate suggested that she just take me to a hair place and explain in person what I wanted. Since neither of us had plans today, she offered to take me right after lunch. So, joined by Cate's daughter Rosie, we headed off to the hair salon as soon as we finished our delicious lunch.

On the way there, we got to discussing hair styles...which led to Cate suggesting that I should get a perm today. I've been thinking about getting another one for awhile, since I loved having curls, but was going to wait until I got back to the US. However, as is the case with most services, it is much cheaper to get a perm in Korea.

The women (there were two working on me) who styled my hair were geniuses. They shampooed it (with a nice head massage), trimmed it, re-layered it, thinned it a bit (it needed it, actually), and then permed it. Then they showed me how to style it. They even brought me a delicious cafe mocha while I was sitting with the chemicals and rods in my hair. I absolutely love my new style - and I only paid 60,000 won!!! Right now, that's about $42. Cate, being the unbelievably gracious person that she is, stayed with me the entire time, as did Rosie, who kept me entertained (she's a chatterbox). Aside from being sick, I had a great day!

Peppero Day!

Honestly, Korea has some of the neatest holidays! Tuesday (November 11) was Peppero Day (no idea if I spelled that right, but that's how it's pronounced). Pepperos are cookie sticks covered in chocolate that vary in length and width. They are quite tasty and are a favorite treat of Korean children. Apparently, the makers of these delicious snacks decided that 11/11 resembles pepperos...so they created a holiday in which people give each other pepperos. My students gave me enough of them to start my own shop! With proper rationing, I should have enough pepperos to last me until I leave Korea!

I haven't been posting lately because I have once again been really busy ad exhausted. I am working an extra hour each night this week in order to prepare Tracy, a seven-year-old child prodigy, for a huge speech competition on Sunday. Since her heart really isn't in this, it hasn't been easy coaching her. I'm really glad that this week is almost over!

On Monday of this week, I took the cone collar off Jasper, who was thrilled to be free of it. Then on Tuesday, I took him for his first walk outside. He was very bewildered at first and couldn't figure out that he was supposed to walk. Finally it all clicked in his little mind, and he had a wonderful time walking on strange new terrain (grass and pavement) and smelling all sorts of new smells. I'm going to try to start taking him out at least every other night.

Regarding the Election

I was glued to CNN.com for about three hours today, checking in on the American election. I won't bore everyone with my political views, but I will just say that obviously, the results did not make me cheer. Granted, since my candidate never even got the nomination, I didn't expect to be thrilled with either outcome. Ho hum, time will tell...

Still, the election did have one positive outcome for me - it was a great conversation-generator with my classes. Korean kids are far more informed than American kids. I doubt that even one in one hundred American kids have any idea who the President of Korea is, or even if Korea has a President. My Korean students, however, were all aware not only that today was election day in America, but that Obama won. They know all about him, McCain, Palin, and Bush (although they know nothing about Biden, and I figure they're happier that way). I had some really great discussions in the two most advanced classes that I teach. I came away from those classes once more in awe of my kids - they are so bright!

So, even though I am mentally curling into a fetal position over some of the election results, and even though I am extremely concerned about one of the proposals that passed in my home state, I am glad that election day has come and gone. At last the candidates can stop throwing around money like confetti in an attempt to win, and at last I can hear about something new when I check the American news online. Plus, despite my feelings about Obama, I am pretty happy to be from a country where a black person can be President.

Stephanie the Plumber

Apparently, I may have a future as a plumber. I've had a clog in my kitchen sink for the past month (maybe longer, actually) and have tried three different drain cleaners with no success at clearing it. I really didn't want to bother my boss, since she has been so busy, and calling a plumber on my own wouldn't work, owing to the language barrier. So, last night I tackled that drain armed with a wire coat hanger and a bottle of Clorox bleach. I am happy to report that the clog ran for the hills when faced with such an onslaught. Victory is mine!

Oh Jasper!

On Saturday morning, I took Jasper in to have his stitches removed. When the vet flipped Jasper over on his back, however, we got quite the surprise: Jasper had taken it upon himself to remove all of the stitches the night before! That little rat!

So, now Jasper is on another week of medications, and I have to clean/disinfect his little "area" every night. Best of all, Jasper gets to spend a whole week wearing a ridiculous-looking cone collar to prevent him from licking anything that shouldn't be licked right now. He looks so funny!

Halloween

Friday was a ton of fun, both for the kids and for me. Before telling about what we did with the kids, I should explain that while Halloween is a very popular holiday in the US and a few other countries, it does not exist in Korea.

In the morning, the kindergartners dressed up in adorable little costumes, and we took them "trick-or-treating" to the homes of the Harry, Jay, Amy, and Cali. The kids and I got tons of candy (almost a full night's worth in the US!) and each mommy put out quite a spread of snacks for us as well. At Cali's house, our last stop, we were treated to a selection of seven different types of sweet breads, eight types of fruit, and assorted nuts. I have never been so glad to have skipped breakfast!

After "trick-or-treating," we went to a great little Chinese restaurant, where we had one of my favorite meals: jajang myeon (homemade noodles in a black bean sauce with onions and beef - delicious). After lunch, I thanked Cate and went back to my apartment to get ready for the afternoon festivities.

Since the kids really wanted me to, and since I am still a kid at heart, I dressed up in costume. I had a terrific long black skirt and black blouse, which together looked very "witch-like." I braided and twisted my hair into a rather elegant style, then stuck about fifteen black plastic spiders in it. For the finishing touches, I added huge silver spiderweb earrings and a ton of eye makeup. When I finished, I looked like a very elegant, evil witch. The kids were really impressed, including the several who were frightened by my appearance.

For Halloween, we canceled classes, and instead set up the classrooms into a series of "stores." Each kid had play money to use at the "Creepy Stationary Store," "Cruel Grocery Store," and "Scary Restaurant." We also had a game room and a movie room (for which Cate had rented Chuckie and Chuckie II - I told her she was nuts for choosing those films). At the restaurant, where I was stationed, we served up two types of noodles, mandu (stuffed dumplings), duck-bukki (a really spicy, tasty dish involving rice cakes, lettuce, and fish cakes - one of only two instances in which I will knowingly consume fish cakes), Vienna sausages, and soda. The kids had to use only English to purchase things, and we rewarded particularly good English usage with candy. By the end of the day, we teachers were exhausted!

Cate took us for food and drinks afterward, which was quite fun. I really enjoy spending time socially with my co-workers. By eleven, though, it was time to say goodnight and head home to bed. I think this was one of my favorite Halloweens.

Pictures from My "Treat Weekend" (Part 2)

Here's the rest of the photos from my weekend in Seoul:

Part of my lovely hotel room.

The name of this restaurant made me do a double-take and erupt into giggles.

This one also demanded to be photographed. Where do they come up with these names?!

Yet another sign that made me burst out laughing, to the surprise of several Koreans.

I thought this building was really neat.

My extremely enticing breakfast.

Me posing by the entrance to COEX Mall.

Read the fourth item down on this list of snacks available at the COEX Aquarium.

Yet another sign that caused a chuckle.

Pictures from My "Treat Weekend" (Part 1)

These pictures were taken at the COEX Aquarium in Seoul:

One of the exhibits featured dozens of alternatives to fishbowls, such as this watercooler.

This was my favorite "fishbowl."

Believe it or not, a two headed turtle. And it's alive, by the way. Awesome!

Hanging out with a few pretty squid.

Have you ever seen a turtle with such a long neck?!

I found this fish slightly disturbing!

One seal wanted to play; this one just wanted to rest.

And after an Extended Delay...

I am finally blogging about my "treat weekend" in Seoul (Oct 25-26)! I am so sorry about the very long delay in writing, but as I said, I got ramrodded with migraines last week.

Basically, the idea to have my "treat weekend" occurred to me on Tuesday (Oct 21). On Wednesday of that week, I bought my ticket to Cirque du Soleil's Alegria and looked for hotels online. Because Alegria was being held near the Olympic stadium (where the 1988 Olympics were held), which is in Gangnam (a region of Seoul), I wanted to find a hotel that was also in Gangnam, and large enough that a taxi driver would be familiar with it. I had only been to Seoul once before, so I did not know my way around the city. Since I was going alone, I did not want to have to traipse across Seoul alone at night, searching for my hotel. The only problem was that Gangnam is the most expensive area in Seoul, so hotels there do not come cheap.

I found a perfect hotel within walking distance of the Olympic park, but tarried in reserving a room, thinking I might find a better deal. When I decided to go ahead and book the room (on Thursday), there were no more available at the price I had been quoted, so I could not afford to stay at that hotel (the only rooms available were more than $300 American per night). So, since I was supposed to leave in only two days, I became a bit stressed and desperate. I had decided that Novatel was out of my price range, but had to reconsider finally. In Europe that chain is only three star, but in Korea it is a four star hotel. I decided that splurging once wouldn't kill me (although I did feel some pain).

On Friday, I had to take Jasper in for his "Eunuch-ification" surgery (getting fixed). In all the stress and excitement of planning my get-a-way, I had completely forgotten about Jasper - until Friday evening. I did some frantic text-messaging to a few friends, and my dear friend Michelle happily volunteered to babysit Jasper for me. Oh, in case you're wondering, his surgery went well and cost less than half as much as it would have in the USA.

On Saturday morning, I dropped off Jasper (who was feeling great) at Michelle's apartment, showed her how to give him his medicine, which he actually loved, and then took a taxi to the bus terminal. I caught the 10:30 bus to Seoul and spent the next four hours blissfully napping while my wonderful new iPod Nano serenaded me. When I got to Seoul, my first stop was a Dunkin' Donuts, where I got a hot sandwich and a kiwi slushie. Normally I abhor Dunkin' Donuts, but I had not eaten all day and my low blood sugar chose the restaurant for me.

I was supposed to meet with my book club at 4:00, so I wandered around in the Gangnam underground shopping center for awhile looking for a new bag (with no luck) and then tried to find where I was supposed to meet people. Since I do not know Seoul well, I got lost and frustrated. Finally, my friend Beth tracked me down and the two of us went to the meeting place. After a very brief book club meeting, during which we ordered our books (we're going to be studying Augustine's City of God together), we went our separate ways. Beth and I, along with a friend of Beth's, went out for dinner at Dos Tacos, a really great "hole-in-the-wall" Mexican restaurant. Fortified with a fantastic chicken, avocado, and olive burrito, I set off in search of the Olympic Park.

The Olympic Park is actually quite easy to find, and Beth insisted on escorting me there, so I didn't even come close to getting lost. I picked up my ticket, and in eager anticipation went to my seat. I had one of the most perfect seats I have ever had - fifth row. I was less than twenty feet from the stage! Giddy with excitement, I waited for the show to start.

For the rest of my life, I shall always regard Alegria as one of my most enchanting memories. I have wanted to see the Cirque du Soleil perform since I was eleven years old, and this was one dream that actually gained grandeur in coming true. The music was so fantastic that at intermission, I purchased the Alegria CD. I cannot begin to describe the amazing things the performers did - at one point twelve acrobats were flipping at the same time in different directions, often right over-top one another - so I won't even make an attempt. The costumes, the music, the acrobats, the contortionists, the clowns, and the atmosphere all made for a live show that I wished would never end.

After the show, I went straight to my hotel to check in (it was about 11:00 pm). I enjoyed my first bath in over eight months (I only have a shower at my apartment), rented a very unique Korean film, and then a great night's sleep. I heartily recommend the Gangnam Novatel to any other travelers. My room was gorgeous, the employees were friendly, and I have never before seen so many freebies in a hotel (at the price I was paying, there was no way I was going to leave any of them behind).

The next morning (Sunday), I decided that I wanted to go to the COEX Aquarium, having heard that it was superb. I had no idea how to get there, but I did know which direction it was in from my hotel. Feeling very ambitious, and perhaps even reckless, I decided to walk there, figuring that there would be a sign to guide me sooner or later. I know what my readers are thinking right now - you think I got lost, don't you?! Shame on you for your lack of faith in me! Believe it or not, this time I got lucky. COEX was about a half hour walk from my hotel, and was right off the same road.

I found a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (a terrific coffee shop) right across the street from COEX, so I decided to stop there for breakfast. I had a heavenly Camembert and chocolate tart with a simmering white chocolate mocha to drink. After breakfast, I walked across the street (no easy feat in Korea, especially Seoul), and climbed the stairs down to COEX.

COEX is a HUGE underground mall. By huge, I mean absolutely mind-bogglingly ginormous. The thing must stretch on for miles! The aquarium is underground as well, and was well worth the price of admission. I saw tons of interesting fish, as well as adorable seals and penguins. Best of all, there were actually signs in English so that I could read about the sea creatures I was viewing. The aquarium also has lockers, so I didn't have to lug my heavy backpack and shoulder bag through the exhibits.

Although I normally despise malls with a deep passion, I actually enjoyed shopping at COEX. It's such a unique mall that even though it was crowded beyond what an American fire marshal would allow, and even though it was overwhelming and I was lugging heavy bags, I still had a good time. I managed to find a beautiful gift for my grandmother and a little something for my niece, so I was quite pleased with the whole experience. For lunch/dinner, I ate at a delicious Italian restaurant with lousy service. Since I had a Bill Bryson book as my dining companion, the poor service didn't bother me in the least.

After lunch/dinner, I went to the lowest level of the COEX Mall to visit the Kimchi Museum. When I first heard about this particular museum, I thought it was just a joke, but having visited it, I can now say that there definitely is a kimchi museum in Korea. It's small, but informative, and the lady at the desk was very sweet. I learned all about the history of kimchi, how it is made, and it's many health benefits. I have to say, I'm really impressed that something so fundamentally disgusting (but strangely addicting) can be so important to an entire country.

Around 5:30, I made my way over to the express bus terminal, which is just a few metro stops away from COEX. I caught a 6:30 bus back to Gyeongju, and napped and listened to Victor Borge on my iPod for the four hour journey. I was seated next to a very sweet elderly Korean woman, who alternated between smiling at me and sleeping. At one point, she offered to share her fish cakes with me, but I politely declined (I hate those things - they take fish, which is disgusting, and make it even more repulsive by pounding it into sickeningly yellow flat "cakes").

I was back at Michelle's flat by 11:00 to pick up Jasper, although I wound up visiting for an hour. To my relief, he and Michelle had a great time together, and she was sorry to see him go. Jasper held no grudge about being left behind immediately after a surgery, so he was thrilled to see me. After calling home to chat with my parents, I went to bed dreaming of Alegria. What a marvelous weekend!

Sorry, Sorry...

I just want to apologize for not posting this week. I know I need to blog about my weekend in Seoul and I need to put up the pictures, but I have not had a spare moment this week. I've got a million things going on at school, as we are preparing for the big Halloween party and the speech contests, plus I had classes to give tests to this week. On top of that, I've been unlucky enough to get a migraine every single night this week, so I've had to function on about three hours of sleep a night (the pain keeps me awake). I'm hoping to get a chance to write a decent post later today, but if not, I'll do my best to get one up before the weekend (since this is going to be another busy weekend).

Jasper's Operation

I have a sad, sleepy little dog right now. This afternoon I took Jasper to the vet, where he had his surgery. My little boy will never be a father now. :)

It was actually rougher on me than it was on Jasper. I got him fixed because I love him and because I am a responsible pet owner, but having to watch the surgery preparation, and then having to watch him as he woke up, was downright agonizing. He woke up crying, then started shaking in absolute terror. The vet explained that Jasper was not in pain, but was groggy and confused from the antisthetic. After about half an hour of whimpering, he finally stopped. The shaking continued for awhile longer.

Jasper is so quiet right now, and completely lethargic (nothing like his usual, exuberant self). I thought he might appreciate a warm place to lie down, so I turned on my ondol (heated floor). He seems a bit more content, so I think the warmth is helping to relax his poor little body. I feel really guilty about leaving him tomorrow for my weekend in Seoul, but at least I found a very good person to leave him with. My friend Michelle has agreed to watch him for two days, and since Jasper adores Michelle, I figure he'll be happy. I still feel awful every time I look at him, though. I know I made the right decision, but I also know how uncomfortable he must be right now.

Sometimes it is really rough being a pet owner!

Being Practical Can Still Be Fun

I've made a very painful, agonizing decision. In order to save money for when I get back to the States (and for my Ireland/Morocco adventure), I am not going to take a winter vacation. At least, not a big one. I really wanted to do Saipan for New Year's, but I really can't justify the expense. So, instead I'm going to save money by staying here. To compensate, I've decided to allow myself a few special weekend trips, which will come out at least $1,000 cheaper than one big trip over my Christmas break.

I'm going to have one of my special weekends this weekend. Cirque du Soleil is in Seoul right now, and I have always wanted to see it. The tickets are pricey, but since I'm not doing the big trip, I can go. My plan is to go to Seoul on Saturday morning (as early as possible), visit a museum or two, and then go to the evening performance of the Cirque du Soleil, where I will have a fabulous seat (no nosebleed section for this girl). I'll stay the night at a nice hotel, then go to the aquarium and possibly another museum on Sunday. In the evening, I'll return to Gyeongju. Ordinarily, I wouldn't be able to do a random expensive weekend like the one I'm planning, but, again, without the big trip in December, a few weekends like this are possible.

For another of my weekends, I thought I might go to Fukuoka, Japan. The ferry is reasonably priced, and I can pack my own food so I don't have to pay the expensive Japanese prices. In Fukuoka, I can do some hiking and see some historical sites. I figure November would be a good time to go. For my third special weekend, I'll do a DMZ tour and maybe even visit one of the propaganda villages. I'm planning to that during my winter break, since I can perhaps stay with one of my friends who live in Seoul. I may have time for a few more museums and historical sites on that trip, as well.

I figure three special weekend trips will more than compensate for the lack of a winter vacation. I'll save quite a bit of money, but I'll have loads of fun, and I'll still get to do things that most people never get to do. I'm a little sad at missing Saipan, but I'm obviously going to return to Asia someday, so I can hit it then (and hopefully Malaysia as well).

Autumn Is Here, and Stephanie Is Back!

After being a lazy loaf on Sunday, I am happy to say that I am much better today. I feel my normal exuberance coursing through my veins again, and all is once more right in the world of Stephanie. Of course, my sinuses are still working overtime, but I can live with that. The thought occurred to me today that if only snot could be used as an alternate fuel source, I could corner the market and retire a wealthy woman. Ah well, I guess I'm much better off and much happier without all that excess money to worry about.

On Saturday I went to Daegu with my friends Diane and Beau. We ate a delicious lunch at Bennigan's, where I (believe it not, Mom and Dad) ate oven baked pasta that had an overabundance of random sea creatures in it. The shellfish were not to my taste, but the shrimp, crab, and tentacles were pretty good. After lunch, we journeyed over to Cosco (our friend Michelle was sweet enough to loan us her card). For a moment, I felt like I was back home at a Sam's Club and felt a twinge of nostalgia, which thankfully passed quickly. I got some wonderful over-priced western foods that I'll be carefully rationing for the next few months, and, best of all, I finally got myself an iPod Nano! I have wanted one for ages, especially after my previous MP3 player decided to die for no reason.

Sunday, as I already admitted, was spent doing absolutely nothing of consequence. I ate soup, stayed in my pajamas all day, and napped when it suited me. By nighttime, I was already starting to feel better. When I woke up this morning, I felt closer to great than I have felt in two weeks.

This afternoon, my new iPod and I had a wonderful hour-long walk out amongst the rice paddies. It was both peaceful and rejuvenating. The leaves are finally changing, and with the mountains, the sunshine, and the blue-beyond-belief sky, it is a gorgeous day here in Gyeongju. I am having a tremendous internal struggle right now over whether or not I really want to go back to the US in four months.

On Wednesday, dear little Jasper is going to have a life-changing event. He doesn't know it yet, but he's going to be a eunuch (in other words, he's getting fixed)! I'm pretty happy about it, although I'm sure he won't be.

Another Friday, Another Field Trip

I was starting to feel better yesterday, so imagine my dismay when I awoke this morning feeling like I had just been trampled by a herd of bowling elephants. My voice had decided to stick around, so I was grateful for that at least.

Today was another field trip day for the kindergartners. Normally I really look forward to field trips (honestly), but today I just wanted to hide under the covers, stuff my nose with tissues, and pray for the blissful embrace of death. Since dying isn't an option at present, I got myself up and ready, and had a pleasant walk to school. I lost my bike lock the other day, so I'm walking everywhere until I get a chance to buy a new one. I don't want to risk losing my bike.

I got to school just in time to help herd eleven kindergartners into the van, and then climbed in with them. Being a teacher, I have to sit in the seat that positions me backwards, so I usually get a little nauseated when we drive on the really curvy country roads...like we did today. We were taking the little ones to a sweet potato farm, and I spent the entire journey there dividing my attention between keeping kindergarten body parts inside the vehicle and not throwing up. I am happy to say that I was successful with both.

The potato farm was loads of fun for the kids. They got to walk around some gardens, play on a gigantic net slide, view a presentation on sweet potatoes (it was in Korean, so I have no idea what was said, but the kids were interested), play with two rabbits, and ride a raft across a very small pond. They also got to fry some sweet potatoes and cook some stems from the potato leaves (apparently these are edible, and actually quite delicious). Their favorite part, of course, was getting to go out and dig up their own potatoes. Each child had a small bag that they could fill. This was my favorite part, too, since I also got to dig some potatoes and fill a bag for myself. Guess what I'm going to be having for dinner for the next few nights!

The only calamity on this field trip involved poor Harry. When he was putting a slice of sweet potato into the hot, oil-filled pan, he dropped the potato and oil splashed on him. Most of it, luckily, landed on his clothes, but he also got a splash of it on his face. Having once accidentally dunked my entire hand and wrist in a fry vat at McDonald's, I could sympathize with the poor kid. Fortunately, he didn't get too bad of a burn, and it wasn't very big, so he was able to still enjoy the rest of the time at the sweet potato farm.

The drive back was, unfortunately, a great deal more nauseating than the drive there. It was all I could do to keep my kimbap and sweet potato down in my stomach. I still feel like the elephant bowling league held their latest bowl-a-thon fundraiser on top of my body, so I'm hoping the afternoon classes will give me an easy time today. Tomorrow I'll be journeying to Daegu to hit Cosco's for some more "American" food supplies. After that, I plan to spend the rest of the weekend resting and drinking lots of water.

The Psychiatrist and the Proctologist

I came across this joke recently, and thought it was so funny I just had to share it here:

The Psychiatrist and the Proctologist

Two doctors opened an office in a small town and put up a sign reading: "Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones, Psychiatry and Proctology." The town council was not happy with the sign, so the doctors changed it to: "Hysterias and Posteriors." This was not acceptable either, so in an effort to satisfy the council they changed the sign to: "Schizoids and Hemorrhoids." No go, so next, they tried, "Catatonics and High Colonics." Thumbs down again. Then came, "Manic Depressives and Anal Retentives." Still no good. Another attempt resulted in, "Minds and Behinds." Unacceptable again. Then they tried, "Lost Souls and Butt Holes." No way. "Analysis and Analcysts?" Nope. "Nuts and Butts?" Uh uh. "Freaks and Cheeks?" Still no go. "Loons and Moons?" Forget it. Almost at their wit's end, the doctors finally came up with: "Dr Smith and Dr. Jones, Odds and Ends."