Apartment

Just some pictures of the new apartment

Shoes, Cell Phones and Light Bulbs

Hey everyone!!!

OK so fast blog just to keep you updated on what's going on in my life.

I officially have December 20th-Jan rd off from work, plus one more miscellaneous day to be decided later, so if anyone is planning a visit to Korea let me know so I can make that one day when you are here.

I also found out that during summer camp I don't need to stay on campus until 5:00, THANK GOD! I get to leave at 2:00. So during the summer my schedule in 9:00-2:00 with the students leaving at 12:10...except for the third week where they leave at 1:00...but I get that Fridau off, so it's all good :-)

I am still working on summer camp but I am really happy with the general way things are planned, I just need some mmore games and to make the powerpoints, worksheets, etc.

Other than staying busy planning summer camp I also have a very active social life. Why, just the other day I invited my friend (actually he's a Peck as well who has taken to calling me his wife, really i don't nag THAT much) over to help me change my bathroom light bulb.

Now really Carissa, you can't change a bloody light bulb? I can, really I can!! But, I couldn't take the light shade, I guess you'd call it, off the wall. In my defense even after David came over it took us a butter knife, high heeled shoe, and about an hour to get the damn thing off the wall.






Tomorrow I go to get my phone (since the last was was...erm...lost) I might get to go bowling tomorrow, we'll see how long it takes to get my phone. Friday night a friend comes over so that we can head to the mud festival together YAY for lots of mud this weekend.

Condoms and Potatoes

Some kid asked me what a condom was in class today. I asked him to repeat the word and use it in a sentence. I've found that asking where they heard it helps. As my friend who had a child ask her about the word sex found out. She tried to explain how when two people love each other they hug and make babies and that's sex. Turns out the girl was asking about secs, as in, "I'll be there in a few secs"

He said he had overheard it the other day. He's a good kid so I told him that a condo was like an apartment but you own it like a house. And then I assume his friend whispered the real answer in his ear in Korean. And the poor boy turned bright RED.

Poor boy!

I remember when Brad Lewis said "Coolo" in Spanish class in high school and Senor Naranjo told him that does not mean cool :-)

Or in Spain when Madeline walked into class late and said she was so "embarazado." Yes we mostly giggled. It is a bit hard not to when someone says they are a little pregnant.

And then there was the time in Spain I was trying to translate my cosmopolitan. And I was pretty sure lamed meant to lick. But I asked my teacher. She asked me to use it in a sentence (smart girl) I said "como con un dulce" like a candy. I didn't want her to know it was actually from a magazine referring to licking the sweat off your significant other's skin. Needless to say she came over to look at my sentence and began to blush. Hey I was trying to be polite lady, you were the one that had to look.

Basically, what I am saying is, learning languages is hard!

In other news. I had the Lotus root for lunch. Yes that's right the flower of enlightenment. It tastes like potatoes.

I also vacuumed yesterday. I really need to buy a mop but I keep forgetting to. Oops!

I have pictures

I've just been busy to load them

Anyone use a good online photo album so I don't need to send my parents to my facebook???

Anyways, been keeping busy planning the summer camps, seeing new cities and hanging out with friends...we had a wine tasting night at my apartment...thankfully I have "wood" floors and not carpet...red wine seems to spill faster than white wine

Best Website EVER

www.supercook.com

My food is kinda limited as I just buy what I need...and then random stuff...I don't really plan a lot of meals.

So I type in what I have in my fridge/pantry and I end up with deliciousness

Fishcakes: http://www.recipezaar.com/169935

Quick Pasta for one: http://www.recipezaar.com/14170

Shuk Suka: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Shuk-Shuka/Detail.aspx

FANTASTIC

Except of course the recipes usually call to BAKE something (I have no oven) or blend (I have no blender) but I am doing pretty well with what I have

I learned how to work my stove!

The "gas safety" lady stopped by to make sure gas wasn't leaking, and..its not and...I learned how to work my stove!

Wohoo!

So other than that. Today I had my first solo class...i was nervous because A. it was my first solo class and B. it was the first lesson plan I've ever written C. It was the worst lesson plan I've ever written D. It was a class I've never met E. It was a level I've never taught

Yikes

I did OK I got nervous and spoke too quickly, but overall good. Then I went to the hospital got my results (cannabis negative, TB (not our TB its an abbreviation over here for a drug test) negative, AIDS negative...so they were allowed to let me stay

I applied for my Alien Registration Card...so we'll see how that goes. I had to give them my passport...I HATE giving people my passport...I feel so naked

OK...I am boiling water (on my stove!) to make tea

Then sleep

My weekend/the longest post I will probably ever post

I left my USB cord at home so for now pictures will have to wait, before I go into my weekend festivities, yes I managed to do laundry and I am quite proud of myself.

On Friday my co-teacher and her best friend (soon to be office mate) took me to a traditional Korean meal at a place called Pig House. That's right they spell it in Korean letters but it is an English name. The Pig House.

Its kind of like the Strip Club downtown where you cook the meat yourself, but its WAY different as in the waitress came over like three times to flip our meat because we forgot and she didn't want it to get overcooked.

So first you cook them meat, then you cut it (yes cut, with scissors) into smaller chunks cook a little more. Then you take a big lettuce leaf put a big mint leaf on it put some chopped veggies (like a coleslaw...not really spicy but more flavors than just mayo), then you put a slice of raw garlic, some sauce (like a chipotle kind of but not as bbqey), some onions marinated in soy sauce. and the meat. Then you shove the whole thing in your mouth and try and chew and swallow..oh yes this is NOT a date food, unless the person already knows and loves you.

So basically you make little lettuce wraps. I had them with pork (the korean word for the part of the pork translates to fat back...I don't cook so I don't know what part it corresponds to but it was delicous) and beef (kolbi, kolby?) overall quite tastey.

We had cold noodles (which was you guessed it cold noodles, in a soupy thing with a cold egg and mustard...I'd eat it but I really don't know who comes up with these things. I guess it is like their gazpacho as they eat it in the summer.

Then there was one food...I really cant describe...it was like eating soap...but not all together unpleasant. ..I guess Koreans really dig it I'll ask Gaeul sometime to spell it for me.

We also had some spicy crab which was delicous but hard to eat with chopsticks. What else? Oh a really good desert that was kind of like a snow cone, but with beans and marshmallows (kind of like what dad gets from the pho place every once in a while)

OK, so that was enough food to kill a small army, but I wanted to stock my fridge a little so I went to homeplus (like a super walmart/target but a little more expensive and LOTS more staff...yes StAff not stUff, people are yelling at you left and right about promotions and deals and thank goodness I don't understand a word of it and can easily ignore them...the food sample ladies are always nice though, they say "HOT" very loudly and slowly whenever giving me food and then they smile). I bought, cups, mugs, bowls, a strainer, some pasta, pasta sauce, cheese(like kraft singles but korean...their cheese slection is either...erm...simple plasticy lunch stuff or gouda...no just block of cheddar) , tortillas(no corn just flour :-( ) and bleach :-) My bathroom is supposed to be white and it WILL be white gosh darn it...plus some mold killer that I think is just bleach but it says mold killer and thats what I want to do so yeah I bought that.

When at homeplus one of my students saw me, I have no clue who she is but I am the only white person at the school so she has a one up on me, "Tacher, Miss English Teacher Careesa Pick" Koreans are like Mexcians as "I" means "EE" so I am CAREESSA Pick...a very short fast e for Peck almost like Pick.

Me: Hello how are you
Her: I am fine how are you
Me: I am good (three second pause) I am getting silverware
Her: Oh....Good Bye!

So yes that was my lovely exchange.

I then took the wrong way home and about...the entire legally blonde soundtrack later, was home. Once home I could not open one jar of pasta sauce luckily I bought two...the other will just have to wait.

Watched some really bad movie that wasn't that bad (I bought it for about $3) and fell asleep. Woke up and ... there's smoke outside my window...FANTASTIC!

Turns out some building near me burnt...sirens and lots of fun stuff. I stayed inside and made my bathroom whiter, made some pasta and overall had a very unproductive day....oh I watched a James Bond marathon always good times :-)

Sunday, woke up, made eggs (I have a stove...I have no idea how to use said stove, but I figured out how to poach, and scramble eggs, make pasta, potstickers and...ok so far thats it in the microwave) realized I have no bread or mustard and I forgot to buy a cutting knife.

Walk back to homeplus, NEVER AGAIN will I shop at homeplus on a Sunday. I almost died! It was so crowded!!! And everyone had shopping carts (I prefer the handbasket) and I was like darting and dodging and jumping and leaving aisles/getting stuck because I couldn't fit and it was NOT FUN! I don't usually get claustrophobic but this was BAD! However I managed to buy mustard, pepper, more silverware, bread, veggies, knife, bottle opener, can opener, and other fun stuff picked up a bottle of white wine that looked ok (by the way my college friends will probably be more amused than the family but a bottle of boons farm is like $5 over here...and why would they even import that stuff???) Yellow Tail runs about $12.

Figured I'd pick up a bottle of water near my house as I want to get a six pack but don't want to carry 12 liters of water home. Walk home (yep I took the wrong way again) nope can't stop by the store, why? Its filled with smoke! It is not on fire, but the same building that was the day before is and is filling the street with smoke. Unlike the San Diego fire however this smelled like candles or cinnamon, like a spice shop or candle shop had burnt actually quite pleasant. So I have to double back, the long way get home and put veggies away, put wine in freezer, take cold shower and open the bottle of wine...it is not awful, but it doesn't change the fact that I don't speak Korean. My apartment has a...PA system (I guess) and every once in a while the guy comes on and announces something...I never have any idea what he's saying and I assume its things like, "We're painting the stairs" since the stairs were recently painted etc. But when there's a huge fire a block away I just hope its not, "Evacuate the building". So ignorance is bliss and I go to sleep.

I wake up and hey! Smoke is gone, fire is gone, everything is good...YAY for sleeping.

Today I go get my drug test and AIDS test from the hospital, if I pass I stay if not...see you guys soon :-)

Then, once again assuming I pass, I go to register myself as a Alien Resident.

Payday is the 25th(only 9 more days, but hey who's counting), and I guess we have a spring break May 1-5th so that'll be cool.

OK, I think thats it for now :-)

I bought pots and pans

VERY exciting I know

I am attempting to do laundry now...thought I had it...but maybe not...darn washing machine in Korean.

My Apartment!

My couch observe the Singapore Airlines blanket matches perfectly

Then we have my kitchen. I cleaned it. It was kinda of dirty. I wonder if there is a Korean tradition of leaving an egg in the sink when you leave the apartment?

My pink bed (obviously I did not buy the comforter) it came with matching pink slippers to wear around the house.

My closet (socks are behind pjs/bras are on door handle/underwear in a purse on the door handle...hey space is limited) shoes are in a closet by the door so I can take them off/put them on directly before leaving.

My washer and dryer (clothes rach from the ceiling)

My first real "day" in Korea

I tried to make some semblance of my apartment putting things away, making a list of what I needed etc. but after about two hours of that I decided I was tired as hell through a bunch of stuff in a bag and fell asleep.

The next day I woke up at around 7:30 I was supposed to be ready for school at 8:20 when my co-teacher would pick me up at my apartment. I sent off a few e-mails got dressed (minus my shoes) throw my hair in a decent looking thing (I even ran a brush through it) and then the doorbell rings(a whole ten minute early mind you)...dun dun dun of course as I am brushing my teeth. I spit rinse and deal with the doorbell.

My doorbell is actually pretty cool, it is attached to a camera...so I see whoever is outside and can pick up the phone and talk to them before opening the door.
It is my co-teacher. So I go to open the door.

Mind you I live in a very secure apartment I have three and a half locks on my door it takes me, on average, two minutes to open my door...I always forget to unlock one of the locks. After fighting with my door, I let in the teacher. Quickly throw on my shoes and leave.

Remember how I quickly threw on my shoes? Yeah...I threw on one brown shoe and one black shoe...I have major skills. Luckily one takes their shoes off when entering buildings so not many knew of my foolishness.

So at school I met a lot of the staff. They were all very very nice. The Vice-Principal brought me fruit on my first day to make sure I was eating. Most of the teachers want to improve their English, but they are very shy. Starting in May I think I begin teaching the staff too, that makes me a little nervous I like kids more than staff, but they all seem sweet so I'll try!

My co-teacher served as translator throughout the day. I felt bad translating is exhausting. There were days in Spain where after speaking, studying and reading in Spanish I just needed to call someone and speak English for an hour or two, or my brain would explode.

Things that I now know about my job:

I teach 3rd-6th grade. Fifth and Sixth grade twice a week, 3rd and 4th grade once a week.
I have a curriculum complete with books, worksheets and really lame games I probably won't use.
My classroom is awesome I'll take pictures on Monday.
Our principal likes the environment. Our classroom is filled with green plants and topiaries and fun stuff. His office has like three fountains!
I will teach with my co-teacher for a month starting in May we split the class and I have my own part.
The school provides me with lunch :-)
I have work M-F 9-5 (well 4:40 ish) and the first and second Saturday of the month from 9-1 (but I only teach 22 hours/week)
I have my first holiday on Wednesday.

So after school (which consisted of me walking around and having little kids come up to me giggle and say, "Hi!" my co-teacher walked me to a store I could get some stuff at...HomePlus. I bought some food, and hangers. I don't get my moving in allowance until Monday so I held off on most stuff.

Then she bought me a burger (she's so sweet!)

I cam home re-orgnized my apartment (MUCH better) and tried to find my way back to school. I found it! Walked around school a little and headed back.

On the menu for today: finish organizing apartment, clean bathroom and kitchen, walk around a little, and sleep :-) Tomorrow the principal introduces me to the school.

:-)

Carissa

Suwon :-)

I am writing you from my school in Suwon....but lets backtrack a day or so.

Thursday morning: 5:00am wake up, brush my teeth, pack my toothbrush, head to the airport. Tell the lady at the counter that my work visa is a work visa and I do not need to have a return ticket. Yes I realize that my visa is written in korean, but it says E-2, that's an English teaching visa...I think she finally believed me.

Make it through security, and wait... board my plane, watch some episodes of 30 rock. and enjoy a water. De-board exit the airport go to the Singapore airline counter, spend 5 minutes looking for my baggage stickers. Go through security AGAIN. Buy a water and a pen ($6 yeesh!) and go to my boarding area to wait.

Wait...wait...wait...read..wait...wait...read....wait...aha! Two and a half hours later! I board find my seat put my luggage in the overhead bin and stretch out. The whole row was mine! I then read, watched P.S. I love you, that Jonny Depp barber movie...Teeny Swodd? Sweeny Tod? Tod Sweeny...blanking, the beginning of I am legend since Brandon and I saw the end at the drive in, the start of atonement, and...oh August Rush VERY CUTE!

I also had tomato juice, water, wine, orange juice, wine, water, water, water, water, water, apple juice, water, and a tea, lunch, dinner, three snacks and an ice cream sandwich.

I hoarded/was given a knife and two spoons, three toothbrushes, a razor and shaving cream, a very comfy airplane blanket, chocolate candy bar, some peanuts, and a pair of socks.

I arrived was greeted by my saint of a co-teacher Ji-Yeon and her friend(my department head)...I forgot her name. She got me on a bus to my apartment, took me on a taxi to my apartment and then into my apartment.

I LOVE it. Even the fact I have bright pink floral sheets is amazing (with matching slippers) my bathroom and kitchen sink are dirty, but I'll clean tomorrow.

I need: hangers, sponges, and...a washcloth for my face (which I almsot took from the airplane abut didn't).

I have: iron, toaster, microwave, rice cooker, fridge(which currently has peanuts and a chocolate bar in it), washer, clothes line, couch, tv(no english channels yet), the ability to steal internet usually from someone, stove, desk, bookshelves, closet, dining table, and...umm...door with three locks.

I am a 15 minute walk from school...and I am sure to get lost.

There is a bakery nearby though so I will not starve.

Oh and my co teacher brought me milk, water, and bread :-)

Oh and I was so frazzled this morning I wore two different shoes :-(

At least I get to wear sandals in the classroom so no one knows :-)

Oh and my Korean sucks!