After traveling by bus for 2 hours with Troy and his wife, I tiredly set foot in my temporary new place. My real apartment wasn't ready yet (Troy is finishing up the cleaning and receiving the furniture they ordered today) so I am in the other teacher's place until he arrives on Sunday. It's not bad, perfect for one person, although my apartment will be one room smaller. I've got a balcony, a bathroom a main room, and a bathroom. Perfect for me. I'm able to steal the internet in here because they haven't turned it off yet.
I took a shower last night, which was interesting as there aren't separate shower stalls, you shower in the bathroom, because there are drains in floor. Showering in front of a big bathroom mirror is a humbling experience. Then I slept on this really comfortable bed, that has memory foam, I think. I was surprised that I made it through the night without waking up, but I got a full 7 hours which I feel is an impressive jab in the face of jet lag.
I decided to get out today. I am still unaware of my general area, but I can orient myself a little. Down the street, I was told, was a department store, with grocery store on the 2nd floor. I found Home Ever fairly quickly. And it certainly is a department store. The first floor as underwear, shoes, purses, cosmetics and jewelry. I got the second floor by an inclined moving walkway (not an escalator, no stairs) I wasn't sure what groceries to get, so I decided to just get a couple of necessities. This turned into what items I could distinguish. The end result was a bag of nectarine, croissants, cheese, milk, strawberry jelly, Pringles, Peanut Butter Oreos, milk and juice.
On the way back, I looked at some of the stores on the street perpendicular to mine. There were a lot of places that I had no idea what could be contained, there were a couple of places that I could decipher, most of them sold food. All of them had exclamation points. My favorite was a resturaunt that simply said "Coffee and Beer." What a duo. There are your too choices: Folgers or Budweiser, take your pick. This choice says a lot.
After my trip, Troy's assistant, Lauren came by. She rang my doorbell, and upon opening it, I was greeted by her lovely face and then a pink streak running through the doorway and into the kitchen, then bedroom and finally stopping in front of me. When the streak stopped, I realized it was a tiny smiling girl, in the cutest outfit this side of the Yellow Sea. It turned out this was Lauren's 5-year-old, Jenny. They became my tour guides on a quick trip to the hagwon, which is literally 60 seconds from my apartment. Jenny is a bundle of energy. Lauren warned me, "I have been speaking only Korean with her, so she is ready to speak in English with you." For the next hour, we talked about Ariel, Cinderella, how much we like teddy bears, she drew me pictures and then declared, "New teacher, I like you and your shoes." We came back to the apartment and they left, Jenny being my new favorite friend who will chat about Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn and long towers (of which I received a picture).
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Flights to the other world are best served with Bulgogi
So I am here. As in Cheonan, as in this is crazy. I am going to put up a series of posts and get some pictures up in good time. So calm down. Part One: the flight.
Here's a good summary of overseas flights: You get settled in, read a little, watch a sweet in-flight movie ("Fool's Gold" anyone?) drink a soda, take a nap, and when you wake up, YOU STILL HAVE 8 HOURS LEFT. That's right. I have found hell and it's traveling over the Bering Sea while trying to close your eyes for a long enough time so that you won't kill yourself when you finally land, and it never happens.
It's a good thing that Korean Air has the best flight attendants I have ever seen, in my life. First, they are the classiest broads ever. Their uniforms are a turquoise military-style satin shirts and khaki (in either pencil skirt or chino form). Their hair is perfectly coiffed and accented with what looks to be a sideways cursive "l", which I would get caught on everything if I had to wear it.
Looks aside, these women are impressive. Not a hair out of place for the entire 13 hour trip. Here's a breakdown of what they did. Upon getting on the plane, I was given a pillow, blanket, mineral water, eye-mask, socks, toothbrush and toothpaste, with handy sack to put these in. Then came the first series of drinks, with ginger ale in cans that look like Red Bull. I wanted to keep mine, but thought better of it. Then came a "refreshing towel", to clean off and get myself ready to sit for longer than in humanly possible. Then dinner (I choose the Bibimbap, a rice with veggies and what I think was beef, which I tried to eat around) with wine. After this, they bring around coffee and tea on trays. This was only 4 hours into the trip. They brought around water, juice, bananas and bread with meat surprises in them about every half hour or so. This proceeded for sometime with another meal, that I couldn't eat because my efforts to avoid meat were ruined and I became slightly (actually very) sick.
Their diligence didn't end there. Should you want for anything, they were there, waiting for their commands. When I wanted another Ginger Ale disguised as Red Bull, they got one from first class, because in Korea everyone is first class. The most impressive act wasn't even for my benefit. A family was sitting diagonal from me. This woman had an infant and 3 other kids. The stewardess promptly pulled out a crib that hooked onto the wall, and made a bassinet for this child, making sure it would be comfortable. If there was a crying child, they would attend to them. I half expected to wet-nurse the baby when it was crying.
So all in all, the service was great, my health was not. I didn't puke which was good and I sat next to a woman and her 3 year-old daughter, Irene who conversed with me on the various interesting facts about rainbows, lizards and salamanders. We had a good time, until I had to use the lavatory every half hour.
Here's a good summary of overseas flights: You get settled in, read a little, watch a sweet in-flight movie ("Fool's Gold" anyone?) drink a soda, take a nap, and when you wake up, YOU STILL HAVE 8 HOURS LEFT. That's right. I have found hell and it's traveling over the Bering Sea while trying to close your eyes for a long enough time so that you won't kill yourself when you finally land, and it never happens.
It's a good thing that Korean Air has the best flight attendants I have ever seen, in my life. First, they are the classiest broads ever. Their uniforms are a turquoise military-style satin shirts and khaki (in either pencil skirt or chino form). Their hair is perfectly coiffed and accented with what looks to be a sideways cursive "l", which I would get caught on everything if I had to wear it.
Looks aside, these women are impressive. Not a hair out of place for the entire 13 hour trip. Here's a breakdown of what they did. Upon getting on the plane, I was given a pillow, blanket, mineral water, eye-mask, socks, toothbrush and toothpaste, with handy sack to put these in. Then came the first series of drinks, with ginger ale in cans that look like Red Bull. I wanted to keep mine, but thought better of it. Then came a "refreshing towel", to clean off and get myself ready to sit for longer than in humanly possible. Then dinner (I choose the Bibimbap, a rice with veggies and what I think was beef, which I tried to eat around) with wine. After this, they bring around coffee and tea on trays. This was only 4 hours into the trip. They brought around water, juice, bananas and bread with meat surprises in them about every half hour or so. This proceeded for sometime with another meal, that I couldn't eat because my efforts to avoid meat were ruined and I became slightly (actually very) sick.
Their diligence didn't end there. Should you want for anything, they were there, waiting for their commands. When I wanted another Ginger Ale disguised as Red Bull, they got one from first class, because in Korea everyone is first class. The most impressive act wasn't even for my benefit. A family was sitting diagonal from me. This woman had an infant and 3 other kids. The stewardess promptly pulled out a crib that hooked onto the wall, and made a bassinet for this child, making sure it would be comfortable. If there was a crying child, they would attend to them. I half expected to wet-nurse the baby when it was crying.
So all in all, the service was great, my health was not. I didn't puke which was good and I sat next to a woman and her 3 year-old daughter, Irene who conversed with me on the various interesting facts about rainbows, lizards and salamanders. We had a good time, until I had to use the lavatory every half hour.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Coming out of the Korean Closet
I'm not a gayelle (honoring the citizens of Lesbos with that one), but it's the closest term I can come up with telling people I am leaving the country. It's a tricky thing. I found myself having to come up with a list of people and which form of communication would be most appropriate. Defining this was awful. First was: Do I care if this person knows? If the answer was yes, then I would put them in the "Tell" Category. If the answer was no, then they would be put in the "They will find out when they find out" category. I then looked through lists of friends. If I had indeed talked to them in the past year, then they deserved some sort of discussion. After I had determined who I would tell, it then became a matter of determining what kind of conversation it would be. They came in several categories, each with their own pleasures.
The proper phone call:
This was boring, reserved for close family, like a grandfather or my Aunt Colleen. In this one, I would bluntly say, "Just wanted to let you know, I am going to be going to Korea to work as an English teacher." See? It was the worst. It makes me bored just explaining it.
The slow reveal:
This one was good. In this one, I would casually strike up a conversation with a friend or family member, usually online. It would start off as a "hi" and then transition to "What's new?" From there I would say I got a new job and then put in a nice set of pauses and unleash the phrase "In Korea." A fair amount of shock is involved in this one, yet it looks as though I don't know the weight of my own words, which kills me and usually the person with which I am talking.
The quick note:
This was the facebook reveal. In order to best exhibit it's wonderful characteristics, I will copy the wall post I left for my friend Heidi, who is prone to attacks of great screaming. "Hey Heidi! Hope New Zealand is awesome. I am going to Korea. Love Mallory" She has yet to contact me about this one. She most likely does not believe me.
The tiny hints:
For those that weren't directly told, I would often leave away messages related to my getting paperwork done for my visa, or I would make a status on facebook about how shitty it was calling the Consulate (oh labor of labors! Seriously, I would always call while they are on lunch, which apparently is 8 hours long.)
It was with this one that I had a hard time. About 7 months ago, I gave up eating meat and seeing a certain friend that I used to have a very rocky relationship with. This guy was a big part of my life for so long, and if we were still together, I would have told him within seconds of my decision to go, in fact, he probably would have helped me make the decision. How do you let someone know? I don't talk to him anymore, but I just felt like (and continue to feel like) he should have this knowledge. Is it right? I doubt it. Almost everyone I have talked to about it has told me to forget it as it would only give him a reason to talk to me again, something I am not sure that I want. In my head, there are a thousand dramatic ways I have thought about getting this to him, some including sending him old conversations we had online, one in particular wherein he said that he just needed to learn his lesson by having someone close to him just leave, and then asked me why I hadn't. It would be attached to note saying "Leaving the country for a year. Maybe be can be friends then." This would be a lie, but at least it would legitimize my contact with him. It would have been perfect.
I thought a mix tape/cd. In my head I would leave it anonymous, but I know that he would know it was me. No one else would do it for him, which should be a clue as to his ability to gain/maintain relationships. I have gone over the possible playlist, and after looking over a certain artschoolmouse's blog, I was inspired to share it. Don't judge me.
1.Aberfeldy- Love is an Arrow
2.Basement Jaxx - Good Luck
3.Feist- I Feel It All
4.Atom and His Package- Lying to You
5.Santogold- L.E.S. Artistes
7.Kings of Convenience- Misread
8.Ben Folds- Trusted
9.Kate Nash- Merry Happy
10.Joy Division- Love Will Tear Us Apart
11.Ryan Adams- Burning Photographs
12.Matt Pond PA- It Is Safe
13.Maximo Park- Your Urge
14.Sia- The Girl You Lost
Most likely this will never come to fruition, but it's nice to think that I could send him something that really reflected how I felt. On a post-it note, I would write. "I'll go to Korea. You can go eff yourself."
The proper phone call:
This was boring, reserved for close family, like a grandfather or my Aunt Colleen. In this one, I would bluntly say, "Just wanted to let you know, I am going to be going to Korea to work as an English teacher." See? It was the worst. It makes me bored just explaining it.
The slow reveal:
This one was good. In this one, I would casually strike up a conversation with a friend or family member, usually online. It would start off as a "hi" and then transition to "What's new?" From there I would say I got a new job and then put in a nice set of pauses and unleash the phrase "In Korea." A fair amount of shock is involved in this one, yet it looks as though I don't know the weight of my own words, which kills me and usually the person with which I am talking.
The quick note:
This was the facebook reveal. In order to best exhibit it's wonderful characteristics, I will copy the wall post I left for my friend Heidi, who is prone to attacks of great screaming. "Hey Heidi! Hope New Zealand is awesome. I am going to Korea. Love Mallory" She has yet to contact me about this one. She most likely does not believe me.
The tiny hints:
For those that weren't directly told, I would often leave away messages related to my getting paperwork done for my visa, or I would make a status on facebook about how shitty it was calling the Consulate (oh labor of labors! Seriously, I would always call while they are on lunch, which apparently is 8 hours long.)
It was with this one that I had a hard time. About 7 months ago, I gave up eating meat and seeing a certain friend that I used to have a very rocky relationship with. This guy was a big part of my life for so long, and if we were still together, I would have told him within seconds of my decision to go, in fact, he probably would have helped me make the decision. How do you let someone know? I don't talk to him anymore, but I just felt like (and continue to feel like) he should have this knowledge. Is it right? I doubt it. Almost everyone I have talked to about it has told me to forget it as it would only give him a reason to talk to me again, something I am not sure that I want. In my head, there are a thousand dramatic ways I have thought about getting this to him, some including sending him old conversations we had online, one in particular wherein he said that he just needed to learn his lesson by having someone close to him just leave, and then asked me why I hadn't. It would be attached to note saying "Leaving the country for a year. Maybe be can be friends then." This would be a lie, but at least it would legitimize my contact with him. It would have been perfect.
I thought a mix tape/cd. In my head I would leave it anonymous, but I know that he would know it was me. No one else would do it for him, which should be a clue as to his ability to gain/maintain relationships. I have gone over the possible playlist, and after looking over a certain artschoolmouse's blog, I was inspired to share it. Don't judge me.
1.Aberfeldy- Love is an Arrow
2.Basement Jaxx - Good Luck
3.Feist- I Feel It All
4.Atom and His Package- Lying to You
5.Santogold- L.E.S. Artistes
7.Kings of Convenience- Misread
8.Ben Folds- Trusted
9.Kate Nash- Merry Happy
10.Joy Division- Love Will Tear Us Apart
11.Ryan Adams- Burning Photographs
12.Matt Pond PA- It Is Safe
13.Maximo Park- Your Urge
14.Sia- The Girl You Lost
Most likely this will never come to fruition, but it's nice to think that I could send him something that really reflected how I felt. On a post-it note, I would write. "I'll go to Korea. You can go eff yourself."
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