Flexibility/Fury

If there's one definitive thing I've learned about myself while living in Korea, it's that I need to work on being more flexible when it comes to changing plans.

Though it should have probably ceased bothering me by now, I find myself incredibly annoyed when, two minutes INTO my class, no students or co-teacher have shown up, and it's left to me to find out that there was a last minute schedule change. I come to school dressed in a nice dress and heels and I'm informed of a surprise volleyball tournament (which I have to play in regardless of my outfit). I show up to school in jeans and a shirt only to go on a "walk" (hiking up a mountain) and split my pants. Or, as I'm getting ready to leave at the end of the day, my co-teacher informs me that there is a mandatory staff dinner and I have to cancel my evening plans. It has been happening on a regular basis (3-4 times per week) for almost a year. My old co-teacher, Ellen, was a little better about informing me about these events, giving me about 1-2 days notice of important events. Kim (my current co-t), however, is absolutely terrible about giving me notice, and it's pretty much the most infuriating part of my job. Yes, worse than naughty kids.

It's like she doesn't seem to understand that I have a life and other things to do outside of school. If anything, teaching is almost an afterthought to me, the space between weekends. It's not to say that I don't enjoy my time spent with the teachers, but she gives no consideration to my life. When I show up to school on a volleyball day in a dress and heels, and every other teacher is in sweats and sneakers, I look foolish, and I can't even convey to anyone else that I wasn't informed.

Well, the big one happened. About a month ago, I requested my allotted 8 vacation days off starting next Tuesday, even got them signed off by both my co-teacher and the Principal. It's not like I'm going anywhere special, but I wanted to have the time to spend with Sean and Eve before they leave, and everything was squared away. This morning Kim informed me of a "mandatory teachers hiking retreat" about three hours away, for three days and two nights. It starts, as you may have guessed, on Tuesday! Dumbfounded, I retrieved the paper Kim and the Principal had signed showing my vacation had been approved a month ago. I stated I couldn't go, I would be on vacation. Her response? "Use your vacation time to come on the retreat." Uh, no thanks! I said I had plans and I absolutely couldn't change them (not true). She said "everyone will be upset but it's ok."

How about a little notice next time?! Every time this kind of thing happens, I really try to hold it together and kindly explain that I need more notice than she gives me, but she just isn't getting it. Just the daily frustrations of a teacher in Korea....

More later when I stop banging my head against the wall!

<3M

LUDACRISSSSSSS and Shooting Guns Etc.

I bought a scooter!!!! It is adorable, lightweight, fast and easy to use. I love it! Its a Taiwanese Sym Mio named Quincy, and it's really similar in handling to my old Yamaha Zuma. Due to the fact that it's now monsoon season, I've only driven it once in the week I've had it, but clear skies are soon ahead. :)

Oh my goodness what a freaking crazy weekend!
First- Friday was a field trip with my school, two hours away to the Yeosu World Expo (The world's fair basically). It took ALL DAY and I saw some really interesting things (pictures to come) but I was pretty shattered by the end of it/band practice.

Then, Saturday, Eve, Emma, Sarah, Sean and I trekked four hours north and went to a waterpark where Ludacris and company were playing. We stopped on the way and had a delicious Indian lunch so we were a bit later getting to the park than we had hoped- it closed at 6PM and we got there at almost four. Sean and I managed to fit in one ride on this crazy blackout slide- which was totally worth the insane wait- and some not so lazy lazy rivering, it was fun. (All the while, it was kind of pouring down rain.) We got some food and drinks and then it was time to party....We got SO close to the stage- it was definitely one of the craziest musical experiences I've had- we got on the big screen a whole bunch of times, just dancing and having a great time- and we watched the whole thing standing in the FREAKING WAVE POOL! Wow. Ludacris was actually amazing, so fun.... and the Korean groups that we saw were also pretty great, which I kind of didn't expect.

The girls and I in our ponchos :)

Sunday, Sean and I woke up early and went to Seoul for even more ridiculous good times. We first went to Myeongdong and shot guns, haha. First of all, this is exciting because, well, we were shooting really bad ass revolvers and that in itself was great. I've never shot a revolver before and it's probably been 10 years since I shot any kind of gun at all. Secondly, guns are illegal in Korea, so aside from like, joining the army, this was the only place that ANYONE could shoot guns in Korea. It was special. I shot a Ruger .357 Magnum and I did much better than I thought! (Again, pictures to probably come)

Ruger .357.... I liked it maybe too much

They let us keep the targets and 6/10 shots of mine were kills! I was oddly proud of myself....

Anyway after that we ventured out to a little burger place owned by a Canadian guy (!) where we dined happily on the best poutines and burgers, Dr. Pepper, heaven. We barely made it back to Jinju on time for band practice, exhausted but elated.

I haven't had even a mediocre weekend in recent memory. This weekend Cancertron is playing our two shows before Sean goes back to Canada. Time will tell if we will find another guitarist, or, just cease to exist. So many exciting things to come!!!


More super soon!
<3 M

Cancertron!

Cancertron's first performance last was night! Despite a few technical difficulties (being drunk) it went fantastically and everyone had a great time. We also spent yesterday afternoon recording at Tim's house and I can't wait to share the results. Below is a clip of a little bit of the show... it's not my best work but luckily we have more opportunities coming really soon :)

Cancertron: Frankenstein

More (video) soon!!
<3 M

Summer Update

It's been a minute! I've been keeping pretty busy and there are too many crazy and wonderful things to mention over the duration of the last month, which has pretty much been a blur of non-stop fun and funny adventures. There is so much to celebrate- life is so good every day. I'll go with my birthday first.

I turned 25 last Tuesday! It snuck up on me and I didn't plan anything special, but when I got to school, the teachers had gotten a cake for me and surprised me by singing Happy Birthday in (sort of) English! It was really a special gesture. I celebrated my quarter century with a lengthy nap at school. When I got home, I found many wonderful surprises hidden in my apartment from Sean, followed by an awesome Japanese dinner, cupcakes, more surprises and drinks with Eve, Sarah, Jackie, Anna and Chelsea. To top off a freaking awesome day, Sean made McGriddles for me the next morning. On top of officially now (finally) being tapeworm free (!), all in all 25 couldn't have started any better.

Next, the fourth of July:

Being that it fell on a workday here, and most of us are in bed by 11 on weeknights (really cool I know) we had to really commit to the idea of celebrating here in Jinju. Jackie organized the meeting place down by the river (and brought her grill!) around 8:30 and steadily, Americans and the other foreigners who love us flowed in. All in all there were maybe twenty of us, it was really lovely! We roasted marshmallows, shot off fireworks, sang the national anthem together, danced, swam in the river, and drank far more than we should (I called in sick to work the next day.... for the first time. Though I didn't feel guilty because I made a pizza).

(me... ha!) Eve and Dallas by the riverside

This weekend the band is going to get to work on recording music! Our practices have been steadily getting better and we're even playing our first show as Cancertron this Saturday night. We've been hard at work writing all of the music and we're all really excited! 

Other important news:
I am officially staying in Korea until (at least) September 2013! Though it's not quite time to collect my thoughts over my year here, I am so happy here, and feel ready to begin another contract.

More soon!!
<3 M