Hey

I'm back. For how long remains to be seen. :) Not sure who stops by anymore, considering that I don't! I didn't realize it had been quite so long.....

I have a million and one pictures, but neither the time nor the patience today. So, long story short....I am not renewing at my school. Aaron and I want a contract together and Samyook is definitely NOT the place for that, although they asked me if he would be interested in joining the staff. He most certainly is not. It was not a bad place to work when I started, but it has become an 'us' vs. "them" type of place.

It got really bad after some of the foreigners made plans, even buying tickets (out of the country, mind you) for the scheduled eleven-day vacation. Well, leave to the school to cancel two days in the middle, expecting everyone to cancel all plans-without complaint. Suffice it to say, they had a fight on their hands, and they have made working conditions more difficult each at least monthly.

I am happy to leave, and one teacher has already left (Meredith :( That sucked) Two others will be leaving this summer as well, one other choosing to leave (without problems, with an LOR) during the contract.

I am very much looking forward to (and a little apprehensive about) an extended vacation Aaron and I have planned that will include Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, Sweden, Thailand, Vietnam, and Australia. More to come.....but who knows when. ;)

Guess I should come in for my monthly check up, huh? Yeah, I definitely don't have as much blogging time on my hands. That's OK, I'm keeping plenty busy. Thanks for all the birthday well wishes, all. I had a lovely, mellow birthday weekend. Saturday was dinner with friends, Sunday was lunch with Azza. I got breakfast cooked for me both days. Not bad, huh?

The actual school work is going pretty smoothly. Things with the school......leopards don't change their spots, right? Thankfully theere are other things that make up for it! We have some new teachers at the school. Meredith is a lovely Canadian with attitide for miles. So, yes, we get along fabulously. The school FINALLY hired some non-North American teachers, which I think is good for the kids. I really think that they need to realize how much more broad the English speaking community is, world wide. Speaking of world...it cracked me up when tons of the kids spelled the "world" as "wold"

See, my new English co-teacher is Ian, an Australian who has started teaching at the school with his partner, Vanessa. The are a lovely couple from Australia. As a matter of fact, they lived for the last two years on the Gold Coast, Azza's home town. They are as laid back as Azz and so far teaching with Ian has been easy and enjoyable. Vanessa is teaching 1st grade with Edvish.

And, because pica always make posts better:
Chris came out of hiding to join us for dinner, and get Edvish talking. Aaron and I posed for a few pics, then it was time for Meredith and I.

Sorry y'all, I'm still not posting regularly. I got very sick over this last week an I am still getting over it. I was getting over it, then work got very stressful. Now I am expected to put together lesson plans without knowing work book pages. I was told, "Oh, you can add that later," and the idea that I only want to do this once.......oh wait, it's not even in my contract! The fact that I STILL refuse to do work that will extend beyond my contract (because, you know, it's BEYOND MY CONTRACT) is being ignored. Even by the western member of the admin. This last part makes me laugh. Everyone is using phrases as if I am going to go ahead and do it. Which I am not, even if I am sure I will renew. Which I most certainly am not. Aaron borrowed a phrase from the movie Blood Diamond, which was TIA (this is Africa) and we now say TIK, this is Korea.

Went to the doctor yesterday, as I had been so sick over the weekend. Aaron was so good to me, though. He basically took care of me all weekend long, while he was here. I am lucky, no? I am just not used to all this attention, but it was nice to not have to worry about too much stuff.



OK, folks, I'm still really beat so I'm gonna call it quits for now. I want to end on a positive note, though. These days, that means something usually means something not Korean, but I will try to think up something Korean, too. Here goes.

(Korean) 1. My co-teacher from last year, Amy is wonderful.
2. My co-teacher this year is Kim Yoon Soon, and she embodies her English name, Grace (I need to learn this from her). She wanted to change it. I told her it was perfect.

Not Korean: 1. Aaron sent me a huge bouquet of flowers for Valentines Day.
2. He happily took care of me when I was sick.

My camera is not happy with me, so here is a not-so-great picture of the flowers.

Yes, yes, I know I am very overdue for a blog post, but I haven't been knitting at ALL and...I'm heading to lunch. That's my excuse. Brannew....Korean take on Italian with large glasses of house wine. Aaron and I have been very busy doing nothing and enjoying our boredom. And he got me addicted to World of Warcraft (henceforth known as WOW) and we've been playing tons, now that we finally have it downloaded on my computer. Leopard is next.

Lunch time! Pictures of Japana and all to come..........eventually! ;)

A New Post?

Yes, a new post-imagine that. It's been a month since my last post. Yep, I am getting erratic again. I'm sticking to the same old excuse, and you know what his name is. ;)

I guess it's a good thing, though. School life is still bumpy, but no major upsets like the AC fiasco this summer-but I do think my washer is on its last legs-or spins, as the case may be. Sometimes it's just too tired to spin the clothes during the wash cycle. I have asked around and pretty muched confirmed that all westerners i know think that their korean clothes washers suck, so I am not the only one in this boat.

As it is the home strtch before vacation, I find myself insanely busy and hating it. So much to get done, and all I can think about is being on vacation. I will spend some time in Changwon and I am actually going somewhere outside of Korea-finally! I will be headed to Japan with Aaron for a short trip to Fukoaka. Just because, really. I'm sure I could head to fancier (and more expensive) places in Japan, but we're just doing it for a quick break.

I have officially stopped the log cabin blanket and am waiting on more yarn which I have ordered and expect to have before the break. So, I'll be knitting a blankie in Changwon. I'll also be headed to Seoul for at least a couple of days and hope to hang out with frineds there and do a little shopping.

Don't hate me for saying this, but lately I have missed shopping. No, really. I miss being able to go out and find what I want. You know, in my size, regular (read: not Korean) style for a reasonable price. All the things I can't do here. That goes for clothes, food, homegoods, school stuff...yeah, everything. It is officially driving me crazy. I priced out some storage stuff-basic plastic boxes with drawers today, and cannot believe how much more this stuff costs here. Korea is not cheap. Which is crazy, because korean made stuff goes for a lot less in the US than here. Go figure. Consumers do not dictate prices in any way here.

Ah well. Just my 2 cents before I make dinner, do dishes, fold the laundry, grade tests, make a sample project for Tips class, and go through the workbook for winter camp. Yes, I am kidding myself. Somewhere between dishes and laundry I will be too......meh....to continue. And that's not the whole list.

Maybe I should order out for dinner?

Tryig to upload more photos, but blogger seems to be having issues. An excuse for another post, I guess!

Just cuz

Azza turned into a shutterbug after we bought him a new hat and came home. He's got a whole album of goofy hatted craziness. I'll spare you most, though may add more later. I like this one, though.

All is Quiet

Well, no, not really. I've ben rather busy and distracted. No new knitting goodness to share, and teaching continues as usual. Considering my readership is 2, I figure it's no big deal. ;) Actually, I hope my family is still stopping by. Too many places to keep up online, though.

Would like to find an easy to knit hat that still looks nice for a guy-no sweaters, for obvious reasons, and I am not referring to time constraints here. Ideas welcome. Let me know what you have been up to. Comment, leave a link and I'd love to check your stuff out. I'm a bit stalled at the moment. I was supposed to have knit wool socks aplenty by now, but still have only the one pair, which is terrible, because it is definitely getting cold. Plus wool socks, when I can find them here, are outrageously priced!

I'll try to post a little more often this month....

Knitting

No, really, I have been knitting. Not much, cuz I've been busy...OK, not really. But when Azza leaves, I actually do knit. Well, I actually knit with him around too. Told him it was very Zen, like Qi Gong, and he gets it (yes, I know, I am mixing my disciplines, hear me out, though, OK?). It's my Qi Gong ('course, I expect to be doing that, too). So, I have started a log cabin blanket, but I think I have too many shades of purple, and I am thinking I should order something more contrasty from handpaintedyarn and wait for it to get here. I think maybe I should see if I can get another pair of socks done (only my second). See, the 1st sock of my second pair sits neglected on the needles due to my frustration with it. But, since I am taking the 4 hour bus ride to Changwon next weekend, I need something portable. Log cabin, not so portable. Decisions, decisions. Pictures, no. I'll get around to it, though, I promise.

I could blame the acupuncturist, I suppose. Started going for the sciatica and back pain. As you may remember, I have been getting physical therapy for months, and it worked.....up to a point. So, my friend Chris took me to the acupuncturist he has been seeing for the same problem. I think it is helping, so I will continue for a while. I am still hoping that total relief is a possiblity.....

As Per Request

OK, before I fill said request, will the anonymous commenter please step forward?

OK, now that that's done, this is Azza (apparently that is Aussie-speak for Aaron), otherwise known as chivalrous cutter of onions and sleeping man. He's an Aussie, works in Changwon, and has been spending quite a bit of time in Wonju lately. I'll take credit for the last bit. You can figure out the rest, right? 'K :)

Unlike me, he cries when cutting onions and can fall asleep at the drop of a pin. Lucky him. I'd be more than happy to cry cutting onions if I could fall asleep that easily.

Pics and Spam

Complaints were registered about the onion shot in my last post. I think it is a great shot, but......I will add another, to give you a better idea. See, some people can fall alseep at the drop of a pin. I cannot conceive of this, but I tolerate those who can do this as long as they have other endearing qualities. And Azza does.......(but I am still terribly jealous). Besides, I like the pic.



And, because I find it hilarious yet again, a lovely Chusok gift set...yes, it is spam, and yes, that is roughly $40.00 US for the thoughtful holiday gift. I kid you not. This, I truly do not understand!

More Random Stuff

Well, I started a log cabin blankie, but I haven't gotten far enough to warrant a photo yet. I am continuously distracted from getting work done. This includes: knitting, school work, and basically anything that involves, well, actually doing anything. Not that I am complaining. Besides, after all that nothing, the chiropractor said I was doing better! But doing nothing has been a blast over the Chusok holiday.

So, I thought I would share some photos.

First up:

When Eddie moved in across the way at the beginning of the month, her toilet was not working properly. No idea why. She was wondering how the woman who lived there before her had dealt with it, as she had said nothing to the landlord. He came up and after a great deal of time plunging, disassembling, and snaking her toilet, this is what finally came out....



Yes, it IS a cell phone. From the TOILET. May have fallen off the itty bitty shelf above the toilet. May have.

Next up, just for kicks:



Yes, I can make grown men cry. Barring that, I make them cut the onions up so I don't end up crying. Yes, I know, I am awful. But the tacos were tasty!

About to pop!

I can't believe it. My nieces are both pregnant and about to pop. Steph, shown first with Matt, aka Baby Daddy, is on bedrest.



N., is here, with Jordan, her oldest. I think he's excited.


They both look ready to pop. Wow. Where did the time go? I remember when my nieces were born.......

Did I mention...

I went to Seoul in August to hang out with a friend. We ended up in, um, three different Starbucks, I think. And Aaron doesn't even drink coffee! Anyway, we went to a Korean palace from back in the day...it's out in the hood north of the river, ya know? So, I have a photo of myself with a guard in traditional dress, but that one won't load. :( But I have others of me and another new friend. He was very accomodating. I think he was happy for the company. Sorry the shots stink. He wouldn't hold still.

Beach!

I went to the beach about a week and half ago. Well, I wasn't expecting much, so I wasn't too disappointed, but I still hoped it would be......I dunno. Since we were at one end of the allowed beach area, this shows a pretty empty part of the beach. Most of it was covered in umbrellas, and the water was packed.

But, I enjoyed it nevertheless. Can't really swim, they won't let you go out far, and the water is full of inner tubes. Many people don't go to the beach to swim. Most people "swim" (i.e., go into the water) in shorts and a shirt over a swimsuit, though there were some women who were just in suits. Most of them weren't the type to hit the water though. My friend kept noting when one such girl put on more lipstick.....definitely there to "be seen." Not that that doesn't happen plenty back home!

I enjoyed a bit of swimming, and just floating in the water, staring at the dome of the sky, and just listening to the surf. I really, really miss the sound of the ocean. REALLY. ;) We buried J. and then A. in the sand. It was the only time we could keep J. in one place for any length of time. She wasn't too keen on the ocean-the water moved too unexpectedly, I think.

Back at school now. It's OK. Very school-like. Very unvacation-like. No surprise there, eh? Vacation wasn't quite long enough for me. Ah well.

Hweongseong...or however you spell it.

Went swimming yesterday, finally! After a night hanging out with friends and no sleep (for me, the insomniac) we all went about an hour out of town to a popular river spot. It's a mountain stream, plenty cold, refreshing, and it was really beautiful. The cold water did what the coffee did not manage to do and wake me up for a bit.

We managed to find a spot we more or less had to ourselves. There was a big group upstream, and when we went to the deeper area downstream, there were people there too, but we had our little area for cooking and chilling. It was nice to be swimming, to be out of town, and not have any expectations.

I don't care for kimbop, so I was glad that we had a bit more. The guys took a while, but managed to a get a good fire going. They don't have to same rules about fires here as back home. It was kind of a hoot to watch the guys with the fire. In the beginning, I wanted to help out (if you know me, you know I am a pyro-just like the rest of the family) but the guys were.....well, guys. So I just sat back. Eventually the sausages got cooked, and that's what matters, right? ;)

The funniest part for me was seeing all the Koreans cavorting in the water fully clothed. My friend N. started the same, in the water with her clothes over her bikini. Eventually I think she took a little pity on me, looking so white (and Caucasian) in my bikini, and swam without the extra clothes over her suit. It's quite normal for Koreans to swim with shorts and shirts on. Many of them can't swim at all. Even though I saw lots of swimmers at the pool last year, I think those Koreans may be more the exception to the rule. I haven't had the heart to return to the pool and be stared blatantly at in my one piece, even, this year. I can be just as self conscious about being in my bathing suit as the next gal, and an idoor pool is too much of a fish bowl. Between staring at me because I am white and because I do the sidestroke (poorly-I am not a good swimmer), I'm just not up for it.

Unfortunately, the pictures I managed to snap did not do the place justice, and the best shots were of J. looking the part of an adorable 3 year old, as she always does.

More Random Thoughts

Yes, I have a lot of those. Entirely too many, in fact. I have been pondering the vagaries of friendship. Perhaps it is so-called frinedship? I don't know. But something I haven't quite been able to put my finger on has been bothering me. Well, many things. One of them is the nature of friendships. I have, in a way, been morning the loss of some friendships lately. I don't do that very well. It was a long long time growing up before I realized how transitory frinedships really were.

It seems to me that a lot of people keep their friendships fairly superficial, and seem to do so quite deliberately. I prefer to let a relationship develop as fully as it naturally would on its own. A friend of mine keeps commenting on how "deep" I am. "You seem like you would listen to deep music," or just,"you seem pretty deep." It makes me wonder, do most people just live most of their lives on a superficial level? Am I really that different? Are people that aren't "deep" happier?

Maybe I should try to just stop thinking so much. Yeah, fat chance of that, right? Nevertheless, there are some friends, new and old, that I miss sometimes.

Summer Camp

My 1st grade art class at summer camp. Sorry I'm so loud. The kids are having fun, so I have to get their attention. :)

I loading a couple more vids of my kids on youtube. www.youtube.com/mmstyleknits

Thought for the day

Which I may delete later (posting under current conditions=bad idea). Nevertherless:

We change and grow, hopefully, as we get older. We hope that these changes are for the better, although I can personally attest to slowly integrating bad habits that aren't helpful. For example, I procrastinate way more than I ought, and I find that I am not as able to focus as I was, say, 10 years ago. I am learning less, among other things. That may be simply because I am not in school and I am much less likely to read clearly educational materials (as opposed to novels) in my free time. In school, reading materials and what I gleaned from them, were not optional. But, I know I have time to keep learning much more, but do not take proper advantage.

So, my question, after discussing things that I think can change, is this:

Do we hit a point where, assuming we are "average," that we cannot change our moral and ethical leanings, and therefore, the actions that they govern? Or can we only change them minimally? I should put some time into defining average. I am referring to people who are not at the extremes of society. Criminal elements (I know that this comprises at least a siginficant portion of the population of my own country, but many are extreme, and so changes, through rehabilitation are drastic, but in many cases, change will never occur because they are so marginalized).

I guess what I mean to say is, if you long thought certain things were right or wrong, morally, can that change, really change, in your thinking? Can it change the way you would act in relevant situations? Not that long ago, a friend put forth the idea (possibly something that was read) that the personality is formed by the time we hit 30. What if I don't like parts of my personality-even though I know that much of it is based on experiences and reactions to them? What if I were to change the reaction to a situation based on a long held belief? Am I going to be able to look at it from a new perspective and feel like I can accept the change/response I had and move on? Or am I going to regret acting on new ideas that don't mesh with beliefs that are still informing part of who I am?

OK, I know this is not well written or informative, even. Thoughts?

Settling-should you do it to bring a measure of peace that lacks a sense of truth to you, or keep striving when you think (in all honesty) "it" might be beyond your reach? I thought this might be separate (it is, in some ways) but it also has do to with the way I have lived my life to now. Sorry if this doesn't make much sense.

Concert

I was at a great concert last night. The main performance was a Korean band called Boom Boom. Drums. Lots of drums. If you know me, you know I am a sucker for drums. It was a blast. Small performance space, big drums-especially the traditional Korean style one. It was great. Because of the nature of the space, I could feel the drums resonating through me. Loved that.

A TV station was filming, and as the only non-asian person there (there was one other foreigner-a Vietnamese fellow who was great sport when they put him on the spot) I stood out. So, the camera man interviewed me and the man I was with translated for both of us. He also translated the jokes that were sung in the at the end in traditional korean style. Boom Boom is 6 performers, including a dancer, and man on a traditional horn and the drummers.

Normally, there are no performances at this time-it's normal vacation period, but I think they made an exception for the TV station and others. My companion at the show, Michael, told me that it was a shorter than usual performance. There was dinner and tea first. I don't usually care for Korean green tea, but this was mild and pleasant. Maybe because I don't usually like most teas here, I was not too surprised to find out it was from a $100 bottle of tea. Dinner beforehand was apparently something new-a spicy chicken stew, with rice and veggies-which are the norm.

Because I had to catch my bus back, I missed the after performance party, unfortunately. I would have loved to find out more about where and when this band plays. Plus, if the tea was $100 a bottle (think the equivalent of paying $4-5 US for coffee, but in a setting that is much more special than Starbucks), then I imagine the Makoli (which I do like) was probably significantly better than the $3 kettles I've had with friends!


Unfortunately, I did not film it with my camera, which would have been a great addition for my class coming up in camp. I will ask Eun Jeong to look at the brochure I brought home to find out if I can get CDs of videos to show my kids. I'm still hunting for good supplemental materials for that.

OK, please don't mind me if I don't check this over before posting. I recently got a pretty good idea of my "usual" readership, and I don't think either of you will mind! (PS, Lurking family members are REQUIRED to comment and leave their name in! I know where you live!)

Aww shucks

....Aww, shucks, thanks, Spin, for giving me the rockin' blogger award. Had I known, I would have nominated you first, because you are a great knitty friend and an amazing knitter. Given that you already got one, just make room on your mantel for one more! Also, I'd give one to Sade for interesting posts, and being a helpful, kind fellow knitter, and to Shona because she has been so cool and supportive. I'd give one to Rob, but, well, she doesn't actually blog, she Tweets! But, she has been a great help and a lot of fun, online and off.


A bit pink for me, but......