The hallway in the school always smells like food. I discovered on my first teaching day that teachers often order food for delivery. The food in is delivered in baskets by a man on motorcycle. When the teachers are done eating, they put the food back in the basket and leave it in the hallway for the deliveryman to pick up later. Great system. This just means that there are baskets of food sitting around al the time, making the hallways smell like food.
On Wednesday, October22, after school, Sally took me shopping, she showed me where I can get necessary house hold things, like dishcloths, and notebooks, and hand towels. The store looks like a dollar store, the way it is set up, however, there are toasters, rice cookers, pots and pans, and all the things you would need in your house. One might ask why I would need a toaster in Korea, don’t they only eat rice? Not true, I went for a short walk yesterday and saw at least five bakeries, all within walking distance from my house. I haven’t bought bread yet, but at least I have the option.
After the shopping excursion, Sally took me out for supper, a meal that was a little more authentic than I have eaten so far. We had a restaurant, where the food is cooked right at our table. There was a burner in the middle of the table. The server brought out a big bowl of food. It included octopus or squid (something with tentacles), shrimp (which I normally like, but not when it still has eyes and feet), bologna (!?!), mushrooms of few varieties, some other made difficult to identify (pork maybe, it was good), clams that didn’t seem to have much in them, some other vegetables, and red pepper paste and fish broth. This was let to simmer on our table until it was cooked and the server came by occasionally to stir it.
Once it was ready, we dished our own proportions and ate it with rice. Of course, there was kimchi on the side with onions soaked in soy sauce, bean sprouts, and another side dish that was tasty but mysterious. I must be honest and admit that I do not care for the taste of the red pepper paste that I have heard appears in many dishes. I was somewhat distressed by this discovery, I didn’t want to spend my year in Korea avoiding the main spice used in this country. However, on Thursday, one of the Korean teachers shared her kimbob with me, Korean sushi,! It was delicious and contained no red bean paste and it was super cheap. I was with her when she bought it at the grocery store, she was showing me a different grocery store than the one under the school. There is a grocery store under the school, Lotte Grocery; apparently Lotte is a huge chain in Korea.
Also on Thursday, I had to get photos taken for my immigration card. A Korean teacher, Julia, took me to a photo lab close to the school. It was a photo shop just like the in the movie Christmas in April, except the photographer was old instead of young, and I doubt that he was terminally ill or in love with a meter maid. However, it was still cool.
This morning, (Friday) I had to go the University Hospital, the best hospital in Korea I was assured, for my immigration medical check up. Mr. Kim, one of the managers at the school, took me. Sally came along to make me feel better. We rode the subway, so I finally learned where the subway station is, although we took a bus from the school, the Subway is in walking distance, like 10 or 15 minuets away. The hospital was huge. We went to the international clinic, were a very cheerful friendly lade guided me through my tests.
First I had to have a chest x-ray. I needed to change into a hospital gown in this tiny change room, with Tiny stalls. I wasn’t sure how to put on the gown and just tied the strings at the back, but then I saw a women, wearing it the right way, wrapped around, no open gaps. I wanted to change mine, but my room was occupied as soon as I left. I struggled to untie the knot, an old lady, helped me, and then I quickly got into a room to turn it around. It was very awkward.
After the X-ray, I went for a blood test. Bryan had told me horrible things about the needles they use to collect blood samples, but it turns out that he is either a liar or a wuss, because the needle was really small and it did not hurt at all. They took three vials of my life substance.
After the blood I had to give a urine sample, also something I have never done before. I had to pee in a cup over a Asian style toilet, aka hole in the floor. But a hole that flushed, oddly. Then I had to meet with a doctor. He didn’t know English very well and nobody informed him of the purpose of my visit, he was confused, but very friendly and super adorable. I have a bit of a crush on him. Once he sorted out the reason for my visit, all had to ask me was if I had any illness or if I had any pain. That was the end of my visit.
I should also mention that because I had the guided hospital tour, the only line in which I had to wait, was the lineup for the bathroom. I was skipped to the front of every line. That’s luxury.
Mr. Kim took Sally and I out for lunch, we had curry, which seems to be very popular here.
In the subway station I found an ATM that takes international debit cards, finally I have some won in my pocket, 100,000 to be exact. I felt vulnerable without cash. I don’t anymore.
On the subway, one the doors are about to close, there is a dinging noise that sounds like the opening of Paper Planes by MIA. The first time I heard it, I turned my head just in time to see the subway sign flash MIA. This was the highlight of my day.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Koreanish
I have this odd compulsion to speak Spanish, as if it will make me easier to understand, one of these days, it’s going to happen.
The director of the school showed me to my apartment, when I walked in to take a look around I forgot to take of my shoes. I think this shocked the poor man, he sharply reminded me to remove my shoes. In my own apartment!
I was overwhelmed when I finally got to my apartment, I felt so alone and uncertain, but I distracted myself by unpacking, a task I dislike almost as much as packing. There is a shoe closest that is currently holding my clothes. A TV stand for my books, and my sweaters and hoodie are on top of the fridge. I have a dining room table for two and one of chairs serves as a coat rack, the other as a scarf rack. I have hung another scarf on the air conditioner and the last one a random hook on the wall. I had to be all socks and underwear in a bag beside the shoe closet. There is no balcony or porch, which I was so hoping for, but this is a nice place in a secure building, so I can’t complain. (Have you ever tried to explain the difference between can’t and can to a child who speaks no English? She repeats like a parrot, unfortunately she has the understanding of one too. I can’t tell if she understands even the simplest words. She is in my class of one.) There is a TV, which I have yet to turn on, and a small fridge that holds a carton of eggs, orange juice, pre-cooked rice (although in the grocery store it was not refrigerated) and some oranges. Tomorrow I will stock it better, providing that my credit card works, so far all I have eaten as been paid for by the school. I think that my charity as run out. My kettle is the scariest thing, electric with a plastic bottom, top, and handle, everything in-between is metal. I have one pan, one pot, two cups, two bowls, two plates, a fork, knife, and spoon. That is all. (Grocery List: Chopsticks)
A broom hangs on the wall, beside the fridge, which is beside the bathroom. The bathroom, which also servers as the shower stall, has a medicine cabinet, but not behind the mirror. There are special bathroom shoes, I suppose because when I shower between the toilet and the sink, the bathroom gets very wet. However, this will make cleaning a snap. (Add bathroom cleaner to the list.)
A small nearly empty room save for the water heater (I eventually learned) contains my empty suitcase and backpacks. Unfortunately, this room does not have shelves, it would make a convenient walk in closet.
I took my first Korean shower. I was unsure off how to get hot water, first I tried to see if there was internet help available, internet research lead me to believe that my gas wasn’t hooked up yet. I was a little concerned about this. After school, once I had Sally to myself, I asked about hot water. Apparently, the thing that I thought was just a thermostat also controls the hot water and the floor heat. However, this thing only has Korean writing on it, Hangeul. So I copied down the writing on the thermostat and took out my trusty Korean/ English dictionary and tried to translate the words.
(Quick Korean lesson: Korean words are written in syllables, not individual letters like in English. This becomes a bit confusing when you read Korean because there no gaps between words. It is difficult for someone who knows little to know Korean to know where a word begins and ends.)
I carefully combed through the dictionary trying to find words that matched but didn’t know how many syllables made up the word I was trying to find. Also, nothing was an exact match. In the end I ended up guessing and I finally made the right guess when I heard the water heater kick in, here one has to turn on the water heater. Currently I am wondering if I should turn if off when not using hot water. I’ll ask Sally tomorrow, she is a very handy person to have around, and she is nice too.
The director of the school showed me to my apartment, when I walked in to take a look around I forgot to take of my shoes. I think this shocked the poor man, he sharply reminded me to remove my shoes. In my own apartment!
I was overwhelmed when I finally got to my apartment, I felt so alone and uncertain, but I distracted myself by unpacking, a task I dislike almost as much as packing. There is a shoe closest that is currently holding my clothes. A TV stand for my books, and my sweaters and hoodie are on top of the fridge. I have a dining room table for two and one of chairs serves as a coat rack, the other as a scarf rack. I have hung another scarf on the air conditioner and the last one a random hook on the wall. I had to be all socks and underwear in a bag beside the shoe closet. There is no balcony or porch, which I was so hoping for, but this is a nice place in a secure building, so I can’t complain. (Have you ever tried to explain the difference between can’t and can to a child who speaks no English? She repeats like a parrot, unfortunately she has the understanding of one too. I can’t tell if she understands even the simplest words. She is in my class of one.) There is a TV, which I have yet to turn on, and a small fridge that holds a carton of eggs, orange juice, pre-cooked rice (although in the grocery store it was not refrigerated) and some oranges. Tomorrow I will stock it better, providing that my credit card works, so far all I have eaten as been paid for by the school. I think that my charity as run out. My kettle is the scariest thing, electric with a plastic bottom, top, and handle, everything in-between is metal. I have one pan, one pot, two cups, two bowls, two plates, a fork, knife, and spoon. That is all. (Grocery List: Chopsticks)
A broom hangs on the wall, beside the fridge, which is beside the bathroom. The bathroom, which also servers as the shower stall, has a medicine cabinet, but not behind the mirror. There are special bathroom shoes, I suppose because when I shower between the toilet and the sink, the bathroom gets very wet. However, this will make cleaning a snap. (Add bathroom cleaner to the list.)
A small nearly empty room save for the water heater (I eventually learned) contains my empty suitcase and backpacks. Unfortunately, this room does not have shelves, it would make a convenient walk in closet.
I took my first Korean shower. I was unsure off how to get hot water, first I tried to see if there was internet help available, internet research lead me to believe that my gas wasn’t hooked up yet. I was a little concerned about this. After school, once I had Sally to myself, I asked about hot water. Apparently, the thing that I thought was just a thermostat also controls the hot water and the floor heat. However, this thing only has Korean writing on it, Hangeul. So I copied down the writing on the thermostat and took out my trusty Korean/ English dictionary and tried to translate the words.
(Quick Korean lesson: Korean words are written in syllables, not individual letters like in English. This becomes a bit confusing when you read Korean because there no gaps between words. It is difficult for someone who knows little to know Korean to know where a word begins and ends.)
I carefully combed through the dictionary trying to find words that matched but didn’t know how many syllables made up the word I was trying to find. Also, nothing was an exact match. In the end I ended up guessing and I finally made the right guess when I heard the water heater kick in, here one has to turn on the water heater. Currently I am wondering if I should turn if off when not using hot water. I’ll ask Sally tomorrow, she is a very handy person to have around, and she is nice too.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Toronto, Flights, and Seoul
I arrived in Toronto and finally had a chance to use a bathroom. I waited for my bags to tumble down the baggage carrousel, the tidy mint green suitcase a little dirty, but still classy. I lugged my heavy baggage to the outside and almost immediately spotted Wanita, Bryan’s sister, who was willing to come and pick me up sitting in her car waiting for me. Back at her surprisingly large apartment, I ditched my baggage, drank a bunch of water, flying makes me thirsty, and met Joanna, Wanita’s cousin and roommate. (My flight to Seoul boards in half an hour; the butterflies are back.) We stayed up a bit, but because I had to get up pretty early for my interview, and being exhausted from the days activities tears, I went to be pretty early. Joanne gave up her bed for me to sleep in.
I woke up before my alarm clock and tired not to worry about the impending interview, having no idea what to expect, I had no way in which to prepare. I put on nicer clothes and Wanita drove me to my appointment.
At the consulate, I told the lady at the front desk that I was supposed to have an interview, she gave me a sheet to fill out, information that I have provided to various people, including the consulate, over and over again, like a monkey with a miniature symbol. Meanwhile, well dressed Korean women were running around in high heels, literally running, as if they were all in the biggest hurry. As I was filling in my application, one ran up to me and asked if I was Desi...Desa...Desimublemumble. I told that yes I was. Seeing that I hadn’t completed the form, she ran away again. She returned in moment and asked me to follow her, then stopped me and beckoned me again, lead me into the an office, possibly that of the consul, but I’m not sure. I waited for a bit, listening to the high heels clack around. Finally, a man came into the room, and sat down without introducing himself, he asked me where I was staying, something they all seemed concerned about when they discovered I wasn’t leaving until the following morning. He asked me what my personality was a teacher is, and then he asked what I would do to motivate students, talked on the phone while I answered that one. Two other vague questions about teaching and students and only half listened to the answers. Then he said ok, initialed my application and stoop up and left the room. I followed him, unsure of what to do or when I could pick up my Visa. The racing girl brought me to a waiting room and said she would need another half hour. I waited about 15 minuets, pretending to read a Korean newspaper and she returned with my passport and the visa and told m to have fun.
Wanita and I went home, I changed and chocked down some Extra Raisin Crunch with milk that came from a bag; Ontario is so strange. I kept forgetting that I was still in Canada, all day I would be surprised by something Canadian before I remembered that Toronto is actually in Canada.
Wanita and I played tourist for a day, we took a bus, streetcar, and subway to Chinatown, wandered around Kengistion Market and walked past the Uof T campus. We paid to go up the CN Tower, so worth it, and ate on the harbour front. We visited Joanna at Le Pain, an organic restaurant and bakery. I drank some delicious iced green tea and ate a croissant.
Wanita and I rented a movie, bought some frozen pizzas. I realized that I had to be at the airport at 4:00 am, which meant leaving at 3:30, which meant waking up at 3:00AM. I went to bed pretty early, after rearranging my bags, again. I kind of slept, only waking up in a panic once, at 12:30 being certain that I was going to miss my flight. After that I managed to sleep until my alarm actually went off. I nearly jumped out of bed and into my clothes.
Wanita drove me to the airport, again. I arrived before the check-in was open and had to wait in the slow line when the they did open because the self check-ins didn’t cooperate with me. It turns out that my green bag weighed 76 pounds, which would have meant paying like $400.00 or something, but I took about a bunch of books and put them in my carry-on bags, reducing the fine to $40.00, but the check-out guy walked away before I could pay. So I went on through security. Took a long time, and there was these interesting boys and one girl, clearly sponsored by Burton and of various nationalities. I was so curious about there story that I almost talked to them. Well not really.
Security was a breeze except for the waiting part. I had not trouble with anybody and was not searched at all, I could have carried all sorts of illegal things into the states. Nobody even looked at me, although I can’t imagine that I look very suspicious.
By the time I was through security, I only had to wait about an hour before boarding. On the flight, I had the very last seat on the plane in the very back corner, a window seat, my favourite. I mostly slept and read through the whole flight, the movie choices, which I can’t remember now, were pretty awful.
In San Francisco, I had about four hours, which was plenty off time to get to the international terminal. So changing planes was not a panicked event like I have experienced in the past. I just read and used the internet during my wait. Soon, my flight to Korea was boarding.
At first I was seated in the middle of the middle row, but thankfully, a women who was flying with her two children needed me to switch seats so that her kids could sit next to her, I got another window seat and had only one person to crawl over. This flight was totally full. I was sitting next to a girl that was really friendly but we didn’t talk, she slept for most of the flight, I read and watched the awful movies.
The 12-hour flight was uneventful, and the food was horrible. I can’t stand the smell of airplane food. Yuck. I arrived at the Icheon International Airport at 5:30 PM, Korea time, I got of the plane and followed the flow of people towards immigration and security. We had to take a train to the passenger terminal and then waited to clear immigration, which I thought might be a hassle with my Visa, but she looked at my passport, stamped my Visa and I was in Korea. I collected my bags, which miraculously arrived. Things had gone to well up to this point, I though for sure this would be the thing that goes wrong. I basically walked through customs, having nothing to declare, and into the lobby, where a Taxi driver was standing, holding a sign with my name on it. He took my bags and I followed him to his Taxi, he didn’t speak much English, so we didn’t talk, we just drove, almost two hours.
I was disappointed that is was already dark by the time I left the airport, I couldn’t see much of what was around me. I did travel over a bridge that kicks the Golden Gate’s ass though. Once we got closer to Seoul, there was more to see, the buildings are lit up. There were a lot of churches; at least there were a lot of illuminated crosses. We mostly drove on freeways that had high walls, but once we entered the city, there was a lot to see.
The school looks nice, very legit, so I'm very relived, a few rooms, lots of computers, it's bright green! Mr. Park, some guy who works at the school, I'm not sure what he does, was at the school waiting for me, he was dressed like a preppy hipster, chucks and all. When I got to the school, the cab driver called him down, he brought me up to the school and while he called the director, Mr. Lim. He let me use the computers to inform my "friend and family".
He also called the other teacher, Sally from New York, and we went out to supper. She seems really nice and has a really good relationship with them, lots of laughing and joking. I started teaching on Monday afternoon; the first class was at 3:40. I had one student. She was really cute. However, she was very quiet and although she repeats why I say perfectly, she clearly does not understand what she is repeating back.
Because my apartment wasn't ready, they put me up in a super nice hotel, And the toilet has heated seats and they have all the toiletry products you could imagine and if I were in to that sort of thing, a Jacuzzi tub, you know with the jets, I wish that I could take a picture but I left my camera in my bags at the school. No view though, just another building that I could almost touch. Although, I did discover that there was no screen on my huge window, and a drop of thirteen floors. I crawled partway out to tae a look around the city. That is when it struck me that I am in Korea.
The city even smells exotic. There are lots of bright lights, the subway trains were running all night, I think. I could see a soccer pitch; later in the morning I could see a game being played
There seems to be lots of shopping in the area, no houses just apartments. The building that the school is in looks kind of old, but the school part looks really nice, I think that my apartment is going to be really close, which is awesome because there is a grocery story underneath the school and a bakery called Paris Baguette around the corner.
I woke up before my alarm clock and tired not to worry about the impending interview, having no idea what to expect, I had no way in which to prepare. I put on nicer clothes and Wanita drove me to my appointment.
At the consulate, I told the lady at the front desk that I was supposed to have an interview, she gave me a sheet to fill out, information that I have provided to various people, including the consulate, over and over again, like a monkey with a miniature symbol. Meanwhile, well dressed Korean women were running around in high heels, literally running, as if they were all in the biggest hurry. As I was filling in my application, one ran up to me and asked if I was Desi...Desa...Desimublemumble. I told that yes I was. Seeing that I hadn’t completed the form, she ran away again. She returned in moment and asked me to follow her, then stopped me and beckoned me again, lead me into the an office, possibly that of the consul, but I’m not sure. I waited for a bit, listening to the high heels clack around. Finally, a man came into the room, and sat down without introducing himself, he asked me where I was staying, something they all seemed concerned about when they discovered I wasn’t leaving until the following morning. He asked me what my personality was a teacher is, and then he asked what I would do to motivate students, talked on the phone while I answered that one. Two other vague questions about teaching and students and only half listened to the answers. Then he said ok, initialed my application and stoop up and left the room. I followed him, unsure of what to do or when I could pick up my Visa. The racing girl brought me to a waiting room and said she would need another half hour. I waited about 15 minuets, pretending to read a Korean newspaper and she returned with my passport and the visa and told m to have fun.
Wanita and I went home, I changed and chocked down some Extra Raisin Crunch with milk that came from a bag; Ontario is so strange. I kept forgetting that I was still in Canada, all day I would be surprised by something Canadian before I remembered that Toronto is actually in Canada.
Wanita and I played tourist for a day, we took a bus, streetcar, and subway to Chinatown, wandered around Kengistion Market and walked past the Uof T campus. We paid to go up the CN Tower, so worth it, and ate on the harbour front. We visited Joanna at Le Pain, an organic restaurant and bakery. I drank some delicious iced green tea and ate a croissant.
Wanita and I rented a movie, bought some frozen pizzas. I realized that I had to be at the airport at 4:00 am, which meant leaving at 3:30, which meant waking up at 3:00AM. I went to bed pretty early, after rearranging my bags, again. I kind of slept, only waking up in a panic once, at 12:30 being certain that I was going to miss my flight. After that I managed to sleep until my alarm actually went off. I nearly jumped out of bed and into my clothes.
Wanita drove me to the airport, again. I arrived before the check-in was open and had to wait in the slow line when the they did open because the self check-ins didn’t cooperate with me. It turns out that my green bag weighed 76 pounds, which would have meant paying like $400.00 or something, but I took about a bunch of books and put them in my carry-on bags, reducing the fine to $40.00, but the check-out guy walked away before I could pay. So I went on through security. Took a long time, and there was these interesting boys and one girl, clearly sponsored by Burton and of various nationalities. I was so curious about there story that I almost talked to them. Well not really.
Security was a breeze except for the waiting part. I had not trouble with anybody and was not searched at all, I could have carried all sorts of illegal things into the states. Nobody even looked at me, although I can’t imagine that I look very suspicious.
By the time I was through security, I only had to wait about an hour before boarding. On the flight, I had the very last seat on the plane in the very back corner, a window seat, my favourite. I mostly slept and read through the whole flight, the movie choices, which I can’t remember now, were pretty awful.
In San Francisco, I had about four hours, which was plenty off time to get to the international terminal. So changing planes was not a panicked event like I have experienced in the past. I just read and used the internet during my wait. Soon, my flight to Korea was boarding.
At first I was seated in the middle of the middle row, but thankfully, a women who was flying with her two children needed me to switch seats so that her kids could sit next to her, I got another window seat and had only one person to crawl over. This flight was totally full. I was sitting next to a girl that was really friendly but we didn’t talk, she slept for most of the flight, I read and watched the awful movies.
The 12-hour flight was uneventful, and the food was horrible. I can’t stand the smell of airplane food. Yuck. I arrived at the Icheon International Airport at 5:30 PM, Korea time, I got of the plane and followed the flow of people towards immigration and security. We had to take a train to the passenger terminal and then waited to clear immigration, which I thought might be a hassle with my Visa, but she looked at my passport, stamped my Visa and I was in Korea. I collected my bags, which miraculously arrived. Things had gone to well up to this point, I though for sure this would be the thing that goes wrong. I basically walked through customs, having nothing to declare, and into the lobby, where a Taxi driver was standing, holding a sign with my name on it. He took my bags and I followed him to his Taxi, he didn’t speak much English, so we didn’t talk, we just drove, almost two hours.
I was disappointed that is was already dark by the time I left the airport, I couldn’t see much of what was around me. I did travel over a bridge that kicks the Golden Gate’s ass though. Once we got closer to Seoul, there was more to see, the buildings are lit up. There were a lot of churches; at least there were a lot of illuminated crosses. We mostly drove on freeways that had high walls, but once we entered the city, there was a lot to see.
The school looks nice, very legit, so I'm very relived, a few rooms, lots of computers, it's bright green! Mr. Park, some guy who works at the school, I'm not sure what he does, was at the school waiting for me, he was dressed like a preppy hipster, chucks and all. When I got to the school, the cab driver called him down, he brought me up to the school and while he called the director, Mr. Lim. He let me use the computers to inform my "friend and family".
He also called the other teacher, Sally from New York, and we went out to supper. She seems really nice and has a really good relationship with them, lots of laughing and joking. I started teaching on Monday afternoon; the first class was at 3:40. I had one student. She was really cute. However, she was very quiet and although she repeats why I say perfectly, she clearly does not understand what she is repeating back.
Because my apartment wasn't ready, they put me up in a super nice hotel, And the toilet has heated seats and they have all the toiletry products you could imagine and if I were in to that sort of thing, a Jacuzzi tub, you know with the jets, I wish that I could take a picture but I left my camera in my bags at the school. No view though, just another building that I could almost touch. Although, I did discover that there was no screen on my huge window, and a drop of thirteen floors. I crawled partway out to tae a look around the city. That is when it struck me that I am in Korea.
The city even smells exotic. There are lots of bright lights, the subway trains were running all night, I think. I could see a soccer pitch; later in the morning I could see a game being played
There seems to be lots of shopping in the area, no houses just apartments. The building that the school is in looks kind of old, but the school part looks really nice, I think that my apartment is going to be really close, which is awesome because there is a grocery story underneath the school and a bakery called Paris Baguette around the corner.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The First Epistle
Before I forget, this woman was incredible; I thought she only existed in movies! She was shorter than me with huge fake boobs, clad in a tight aquamarine velour jumpsuit that was tapered mid ankle. She was shod in high wedge sandals and definitely had a toe ring. Her bleached blonde hair was a cross between a mullet and a pageboy (if you can even picture that). She was wearing full make-up, bright red lipstick, penciled on eyebrows and a thick cake layer of foundation. It was 3:30 AM! Overtop of the jumpsuit she was wearing a bulky fur short coat with three quarter sleeves and if this is all not awesome enough, she also had a sliver, shiny and all, fanny pack!
Also, when I finally got to my boarding gate, a gentleman was sitting in a chair, sleeping upright holding a ukulele. He slept for quite awhile then the final boarding call for his flight was announced and woke with a panic and quickly tried to stuff his ukulele into his bag. Good times at the airport.
On Wednesday I finally received a call from the Korean Consulate in Toronto and they arranged my interview for Monday, October 20 at 3:00 pm. I was excited about finally knowing when I would depart. I booked my flight, emailed Wanita, Bryan’s sister, and asked if I could stay with her, and was looking forward to one final weekend in Winnipeg. Half an hour later I was walking towards Wosely to visit my good friend Raeanne when I received a second call from the Consulate, apparently my recruiter called the consulate and made them bump up my interview date to Friday morning. I immediately turned around and went home. After a brief (or not so much) moment of panic and a bit of sobbing, I rearranged my flight and emailed Wantia again, and then continued to panic, alone, because no one was around and Bryan had run out of minutes on his phone again.
Eventually, I was able to get a hold of Raeanne and then my mom and break the news, I only cried while talking to Mother. After more panicking, I finally got a hold of Xena, with whom I could hang out and no longer suffer alone; instead we suffered together at American Apparel while I hurriedly spent the gift certificate that I had received from Xena and Raeanne. It was there that Bryan finally called me, just out of his exam and heading to me.
That evening, I went for supper with my siblings and Raeanne at Carlos and Murphy’s. I had to say my goodbye to Raeanne outside the restaurant, and didn’t cry, not that time. My parents and grandparents came over for coffee and grandma gave me a slice of some sort of loaf that I am currently eating and it is delicious. I slept fitfully on Thursday night, trying not to worry and failing.
Thursday was spent running lame errands with Bryan, who thankfully didn’t go to work. I had to say goodbye to Xena at second cup. My parents picked my up at about 4:45 and we picked up Jamie at Portage and Main Press where her CD was being released. I said goodbye to Toban on the street.
At the airport we ate in the restaurant next to the security area. Trying to remain calm, I ordered a couple of gin’s, just to take of the edge. My flight boarded at 6:30 and at precisely 6:22, I looked the time, realizing that I had to go, I immediately burst into tears, which set my Dad off, which set my Mom off. Bryan walked with me to security and then he farted and we said a very tearful and smelly goodbye, I felt like I was leaving him forever. Later when we facebook chatted, it all seemed less extreme. My flight was totally full but wholly uneventful.
I just realized that the clock on my computer was still Manitoba time, and therefore and hour behind and that I actually board in a couple of minutes for my flight to San Francisco. Which is where I am headed, first to Frisco and then straight to Seoul, where I will arrive at 5:00 PM on Sunday, Korea time. Can you imagine living in a country with only one time zone?
Also, when I finally got to my boarding gate, a gentleman was sitting in a chair, sleeping upright holding a ukulele. He slept for quite awhile then the final boarding call for his flight was announced and woke with a panic and quickly tried to stuff his ukulele into his bag. Good times at the airport.
On Wednesday I finally received a call from the Korean Consulate in Toronto and they arranged my interview for Monday, October 20 at 3:00 pm. I was excited about finally knowing when I would depart. I booked my flight, emailed Wanita, Bryan’s sister, and asked if I could stay with her, and was looking forward to one final weekend in Winnipeg. Half an hour later I was walking towards Wosely to visit my good friend Raeanne when I received a second call from the Consulate, apparently my recruiter called the consulate and made them bump up my interview date to Friday morning. I immediately turned around and went home. After a brief (or not so much) moment of panic and a bit of sobbing, I rearranged my flight and emailed Wantia again, and then continued to panic, alone, because no one was around and Bryan had run out of minutes on his phone again.
Eventually, I was able to get a hold of Raeanne and then my mom and break the news, I only cried while talking to Mother. After more panicking, I finally got a hold of Xena, with whom I could hang out and no longer suffer alone; instead we suffered together at American Apparel while I hurriedly spent the gift certificate that I had received from Xena and Raeanne. It was there that Bryan finally called me, just out of his exam and heading to me.
That evening, I went for supper with my siblings and Raeanne at Carlos and Murphy’s. I had to say my goodbye to Raeanne outside the restaurant, and didn’t cry, not that time. My parents and grandparents came over for coffee and grandma gave me a slice of some sort of loaf that I am currently eating and it is delicious. I slept fitfully on Thursday night, trying not to worry and failing.
Thursday was spent running lame errands with Bryan, who thankfully didn’t go to work. I had to say goodbye to Xena at second cup. My parents picked my up at about 4:45 and we picked up Jamie at Portage and Main Press where her CD was being released. I said goodbye to Toban on the street.
At the airport we ate in the restaurant next to the security area. Trying to remain calm, I ordered a couple of gin’s, just to take of the edge. My flight boarded at 6:30 and at precisely 6:22, I looked the time, realizing that I had to go, I immediately burst into tears, which set my Dad off, which set my Mom off. Bryan walked with me to security and then he farted and we said a very tearful and smelly goodbye, I felt like I was leaving him forever. Later when we facebook chatted, it all seemed less extreme. My flight was totally full but wholly uneventful.
I just realized that the clock on my computer was still Manitoba time, and therefore and hour behind and that I actually board in a couple of minutes for my flight to San Francisco. Which is where I am headed, first to Frisco and then straight to Seoul, where I will arrive at 5:00 PM on Sunday, Korea time. Can you imagine living in a country with only one time zone?
Friday, October 3, 2008
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