Thanksgiving Blues

It's been a great week, all in all. The best part: a new nephew.

Ahh, this picture is sideways, but you can see my beautiful older sister, Mandy, my brother-in-law, Scott, and my new nephew, Jake Thomas. Don't they look great?
And everyone is healthy and okay despite a long labor and a C-section.
And with the excitement, I wish I were with family. I don't think I could ever do this year away from family again. I feel like this is ridiculous. Even the Americans seemed to forget it was a holiday--maybe they don't want to remember. In a few of the larger department stores, they have Christmas decorations out already, and I am beginning to dread the holidays. I don't think the holidays are really a big deal here, but just knowing that my family is together, and I can't be there.
Boo.

A barage of posts

I have taken quite a few pictures in the last weeks--how exciting, thank you, Grandma Weezie! I have two more that I would like to share.
These are my two kindergarten classes. Wow. They are my kids. It's funny how much I still don't like kids, but I do sort of understand them.
This is the Bluebird class--but Daniel (pronounced Danielle) and Justin were missing the day I took these when were at the Museum of Korean Historiologic Life (I'm making this up). Andy is pretending to be a dinosaur, Alex is punching something, and the girls are being cool.


This is the Rainbow class. Justin and Kaori are doing something tricky for the camera--I don't know what.
Susan is the Korean teacher to the right. She is so kind. She often shares the children's snacks with me. She always greets me with a smile and a bow.
I don't like to play favorites, but Chelsea is the girl in the red bow in the back. She is funny. She doesn't sit still, doesn't listen, doesn't test well, and isn't very pretty. She intrigues me, though: sometimes, I will ask her a question to distract her from writing on Thomas's desk, kicking Ruby, and cutting up her book--all at the same time most of the time. If I can get her to look at the book for two seconds, she will answer correctly. Hmm.



So, I'm off to watch a movie. This week has been tumultuous, and I am so grateful for a quiet Saturday. My new schedule is awful, but the classes are so good. Also, the owners came to watch one of my new classes for a few minutes, and when they left, one of the girls cried for the rest of the class. In addition, the school hired a consultant of some kind who is trying to befriend everyone, but no one seems to trust him. I met with the consultant, and he asked me to help him with marketing strategies, even suggested a competition among the employees to see who could recruit the most children. I tried to tell him as politely as I could that I know nothing about marketing.
I'm beginning to catch a glimpse of the pressure that Korean children undergo for their educations. And I'm beginning to catch a glimpse of the bad sides of the school.
I pray that the other teachers have money, that the children understand that some people love them, and that maybe concern for the children and education may be more important than expansion and money.

My messy apartment

Okay, I'm posting some pictures of where I live. I don't call it home. I call it the ghetto, like the rest of the teachers, although this term is alternately for the apartments and for the neighborhood we live in. A little confusing at first.
So, this is my corner of the ghetto.
Oh, I didn't really clean before these pictures. Beware.

This is the entryway. It is sort of a long hallway with a large step where the cubby for the shoes is. I forget what this is called.











Right, this is the cubby where I keep my shoes. Mostly, I have too many shoes. I only wear my Tevas that Mandy got me and occasionally a pair of tennis shoes I got for three dollars sometime about a year ago. My new Crocs I haven't worn outside yet--I hoard them in my apartment for slippers thinking someone will take them. Comfort is the key. Shoes are very important.



This is my messy kitchen. Because of the lack of space, I nearly always have some dishes on the "counter"--I use this term a bit loosely. Notice the strange papers on the refridgerator (yes, there are some photos, too). These are some cards from a few of my kindergarten students--they say things like, "Heather is good," "I'm mad at you," "I love you," and "Thank you for the throw candy (throw candy, actually throat candy, the Korean's term for throat lozenges. No one can say this.)"

This is my famous bathroom. They may write dirges about this sometime in the future. You can see the toilet, and the showerhead is on the left. No hook, so I have to hold it. Very little mold because I am persistent with the bleach.
This picture does not really show the cracked tiles and crumbling door frame very well, but at least now you can have an idea.

This is my bedroom. Really, this is very comfortable. I have plenty of space, three dressers, and good windows. The bed is quite comfortable, too.











This is my living area. Not much to speak of, but it is much larger than the apartments than I have seen other teachers have. My laundry is drying on the rack in the back. The desk is where I spend much of my waking time, and the dresser to the right is where I "primp" in the morning--again, I am using this term loosely.


I am including this picture as well to show these funny doors. They were propped in a corner, covered with dust and cobwebs when I moved in. Now, they display many of my favorite pictures. I get to see all my favorite people in the morning.

MinkYoung and Young Hee

These are some great pictures from last weekend that MinkYoung forwarded to me. We had dinner, but these pictures are at the coffee shop where sat and talked for awile.


This is MinkYoung. Isn't she beautiful? In addition to piano, English, Korean, Math, Science, and all the regular things you need to study to be a teacher, she sings, too. Wow.




This is Young Hee, MinkYoung, and I. Not shown: Sunny. He was taking care of the pictures.




This is Young Hee. She is getting married in April because their parents want them to get married now. Really, they won's be able to spend any time together until two years from now. Even on breaks from school, she studies.


Now this fascinating picture shows the Korean country as a leaping tiger. Many guidebooks will tell you that Korea is shaped like a rabbit (Busan is near the butt, China is near the ears and head), but this is very shameful for Koreans. MinkYoung told me that the Japanese labeled the Koreans as harmless as a rabbit. Koreans prefer this depiction of the leaping tiger. I understand why.

An Introvert Becomes Friendly

Well, I just put some pictures up, but I'm going to write a couple of things anyway. I'm listening to the mix that Meg sent me, and I'm missing the family a bit. All the gifts that everyone sent--movies, camera, candles, books, hand-knitted scarf, slippers, journal, magazines, dictionary, room sprays, cockroach death powder, and probably a few other things that I haven't mentioned--are like treasures: proof that everyone is still thinking about me and thoughtful gifts that no one here would even know that I would want.
Thank you so much.
So, it's been a crazy week. I started a new schedule. I'm still starting at about 9:30 for the morning kindergarten, but I have picked up a couple of night classes. This means that on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, I do not finish until 8:30 pm. While I have a three hour lunch scheduled on these days, I am spending most of this time at school, preparing for school and working on classes. Maybe in a couple of weeks, I will feel a bit more comfortable with the work, but right now I'm working some long days. And not checking my email as frequently--sorry for neglecting my messages more.
Today, I met with Terri again to teach the kids at her church. The kids are great. Their mom sent us treats today. Wow, Korean generosity befuddles me. Then, Terri took me out to lunch, and we sat and talked for two hours. She is great. She has such a tough job and no rest. I respect her so much.
Then, tonight, I met up with MinkYoung, Young Hee, and Sonny again. These are the Korean students I met for coffee two weeks ago. I am so tactless and Western sometimes, I know I say the wrong things. These three students study so hard--Korean teachers need to know piano, English, and about ten other subjects. I think being a teacher in Korea is like being a phD in America, except they need to know a lot about everything.
They are getting ready to take the teaching exams next year. The exams sound very competitive and difficult. The paradox is that anyone who speaks English can come here to teach--they are supposed to have a bachelor's degree, but I have read about forged degrees for work in Korea. I find this so problematic. Teachers in America are like dirt. The only step up is if they are phDs.
So, MinkYoung, Young Hee, and Sonny treated me to dinner tonight. It was a marvelous meal with electric burners in front of each of us that would not burn your fingers. So we boiled meat and vegetables in front of ourselves. Wow. I'm sure it was not inexpensive, yet they paid. This does not seem fair. I remember what it is like to be a poor student.

A few more pictures

Here are a few more pictures. More to come.


This one is Dad standing by a coy pond. This is at a shrine down the road from where I live.









This is some Korean guys playing the traditional Chinese/Korean checkers at the shrine/park. There were about three different groups of these men. Like a tournament sort of.







This is Dad standing at the top of the shrine. Quite a view, really, but this is only part of the city--maybe part of Dongnae and Seomyeong. The city is very spread out and large.









This is Dad and I standing in front of one of the buildings of the shrine. This one is to commemorate some women who threw roof tiles on the Japanese soldiers during a battle in the 1600s. Very interesting. They died in the battle, but their bravery and ingenuity lives on.




This is Dad standing at the foot of the shrine. This picture shows two things: one, the scenic and wooded hills all around Busan, and two, Dad looking like he may fly off to save the world. Miss you, Dad.





This last picture shows a typical shop on "Market Street," as we Westerners call it. Notice the sign that says, "Fashion Mall." This picture does not show the woman in her apartment at the back of the store watching television on a small cushion and eating noodles.

Pictures, finally

Mom and Dad sent me a camera. Yippee. Well, there was actually a barage of presents from Dad, Mom, Meg, and Grandma Weezie. This is very good since I believe Dad's visit is making everything seem very far away. Toys are a great distraction (OK, toys for me are books and cameras at this point). Long story short, this is going to be a blog of photos. This is a bit of an experiment, so I will post more later--definitely some of the inside of my apartment.

This first picture is the road that passes the cluster of houses and apartments where I live. The driveway is actually just down to the left just past the yellow sign with red lettering. Let me and Dad walk you down that way.



So this is Dad walking down the drive towards my building. I actually need to walk around this building, off to the left.



Now, we're following Dad along this green fence. It is a sort of garden that grows all sorts of vegetables. Very interesting.



This path is not much of a drive, but it is very interesting. Head to the right at the turn in the path.



Head up the stairs here. Through the gate. The vines you see here are a mix of roses and grape vines. Rather pretty when not housing trash or cockroaches.



This is my front door. Strange, this picture makes my place look pretty scenic. The stairs to the right go to my landlords' and bosses' house upstairs.



This is another picture of my front door and front window. The other door on the left is another teacher's apartment--used to be Ryan's now is Deslie's. What appears to be a washing machine outside my window, well, it is.



This is a picture of my school. This is the side of the school that is the kindergarten. This is where I spend my mornings.



This is the C. side of the building where I spend my afternoons with older students.



OK. It's a little late, and I am starting a new schedule which means longer hours. I am a bit tired, but I'm working with some older students, getting to do some grammar and more challenging work. V. exciting. But this is all for now.
Good night.
Mom, Dad, love the camera.

This one is for Kate

Many times I think about Kate and James and Finn. But mostly, I'm reminded of Kate during some ugly moments, as I pass the grates in the sidewalks.

Let me explain.

Kate loves to wear heels. Not necessarily spike heels or anything, but she likes crazy, fashionable shoes with pointed toes and sharp heels and great decorations. As a direct consequence, she has developed a fear of grating in sidewalks. The small shoes catch on the holes or can make her fall.

I'm not sure that I have developed the fear of grates that Kate has, but the strong aversion to the smells and the creatures that creap from these holes often makes me walk around the grates and sewage covers. I have thought about Kate and her heels so many times in these moments, walking on a curb around a grate or peering into a suspicious hole as I sidestep another person. I haven't gotten used to these smells yet.

A few of the smells are heavenly, though. I think I wrote about the spice shop. This is one of my strange pleasures on my walk home at night. It is such a concoction of so many different spices that it probably should not smell right or even good, but it smells fresh and interesting. Just when I think I can smell cinnamon or oregano, I think I smell four other spices.

But back to Kate's shoes. The Korean women dress in a variety of ways. Some dress very comfortably, some dress for school, but some dress "the Korean princess" style. They wear high heels, short skirts, complex fashions, and beautiful patterns. This is amazing to see the Korean princesses swaying on the buses and stumbling on the uneven pavement. Again, I think of beautiful, stylish Kate and her fear of street drains.