Yet Unwritten....

I with have a summers worth of writing in my journal that I carry everyday. I have stories and pictures and contemplations all on paper, but not on my blog. I guess the important thing is that most of these things are out of my head, not taking up space, making room for new things to whirl around in there.

I'm leaving Jeju in 18 days. I'm happy and nervous. I'm excited and terrified. I'm finished teaching for the summer, except for 2 more days of summer camp which doesn't count as teaching.

what's happened in the past month, in summary? My hairdresser bleached my eyebrows when i got my hair lightened. Is that normal?

I've been where there is sand and water every possible chance i get.

My newest obsession is now Twilight, the movie and the books- which makes me feel all giddy like a high school girl.
(*whispering*: I even downloaded the soundtrack onto my Ipod. tee hee hee)

I've either thrown away, sold or packed up 80% of my apartment, which makes it look so CLEAN, and also makes me wonder: why hell did I need all that stuff?? who needs 6 red purses? six. seriously.

My dogs fur has grown out so he doesn't look like a chiuaua anymore, but has been given 2 new nicknames: The Gremlin, and my favorite; Mr. Miyagi (thanks to sister Jenn) We decided that if he had a human voice it would absolutely be that of a small Japanese man. (Peanut, my last dog, would have spoken like Sophia from "The Golden Girls")

what else? i saw a small Korean boy wearing a T-shirt that said "Who's on Top?" a few days ago, that made laugh alot.
... and I'm headin back up to my lovely city Seoul, to celebrate my big Three-Oh, like a pop princess. (well, what I would do if I were a pop princess)

hmm... that's all i can think of for now.... but i have loads more stuff stored away, that I WILL post. I will. I swear. I'm gonna. I even have pictures,... and lists. lots and lots of lists.

Lazy summer

Oh god, its been way to hot to do anything other than lie on the beach or lie in an air conditioned room. (both usually involving drinking)
I have 6 days of teaching left before the public schools here are let out for summer vacation and I've pretty much given up. this week we are doing tests, and watching 'Night at The Museum 2'. Yes, I am that lazy this week.

People always ask me what the weather is like over here in Korea- and right now, mid July, it is comparable to the 7th ring of hell. Unless you really love getting out of the shower in the morning and staying soaking wet all day because of the sweaty, sticky humidity- then in that case, it would be perfect for you.
It's 32C today which is about 90-95F, but that's without the humidex. someone said something about it being 55C with the humidity, but i'm not sure about that... either way- it's fleckin HOT.

This is considered rainy Season until the middle of August. and when i say rain, I mean torrential down pours; monsoon. Crazy, windy sideways rain that laughs at your umbrealla and launches it the gutter. lovely.

And if it not raining, it is sweltering, sticky hot. the kind of hot that makes you feel like your brain melted out your ears. again, lovely. I was actually dripping on my desk this morning while grading papers. Super.

May and especially June are awsome. and even the very beginning of July. But the rest of the summer is sometimes just plain unbearable.
It doesnt start to cool down until about the end of September, but the humidity has gone down alot by then at least. I'm just focusing on arriving at sisters house in Canada and jumping into the pool in her backyard, and lying around on the floaty bed. aaahhh.

Do hot dogs usually melt?

For Nathan, 1975-2009

Nathan Furey was a fellow ESL Expat living here on Jeju, with his wife and 2 children. This past March he passed away suddenly from encephalitis. This Video was made by some friends who knew him well and wanted to let us all remember Nathan.

The Furey Foundation, started by Nathans parents, has been set up by several foreigners living here in Jeju to raise money for the Education of his 2 sons Noah and Juno.

A word about Korean coffee

It was May of 2003, my first day of teaching in Korea. I was nervous and a little scared of standing on front of a room full of children who didnt undertand 80% of what i was talking about. I was thinking about making a run for it when i hear the question that makes me so very happy: "would you like some coffee?" GOD yes! it had been about 48 hours since i left Canada, and that was exactly what i needed: a nice cup of coffee. As i waited in anticipation, I wondered if Korean coffee would be better than coffee from home. Since I was still on a high of being in anew place, I thought "of course, it's going to be great."

"here you are" I spin around expecting a big mug of black yummy goodness.

instead, there is a small papercup,( like the ones the my students peed in for health checks- see earlier blog) with about an ounce of milky, sugary instant mix.

my heart sinks.

but I put a smile on my face and say thank you.

it was exactly how I expected it to be: like someone melted down a bunch of coffee flavored candies into a cup and added hot water.

I felt a small surge of panic.

I had just signed a year of my life to teaching in Korea. How was I going to function for a FULL YEAR on this stuff??

this one event sent me in search of coffee grinds, espresso's and chai tea all over the country. Fresh coffee used to be extremely hard to find in Korea. and it was expensive. which lead to me begging for care-packages stuffed with freshly ground beans from anyone who would send it.

It kind of became like an addiction- not the coffee drinking itself- I already know that i have a small problem- but the searching of the coffee. it was so rare to find, that I would stock up on it, like world war 3 was coming. it didnt matter how much I already had at home, I bought it up like a crackhead. a crazy, coffee feining crackhead.

Its very smilar with English books: they are expensive and rare, and so I find myslef buying books, when I'm already in the middle of reading 5 or 6.

After years of being around the coffee mix, I found a mild tolerance level of it. I dont like it, but I will swallow it down like bad medicine if I have to.

My Korean friends were shocked to learn that we dont have the "stick mix" in Canada, since its so convenient. I then have to explain that North Americans usually enjoy their morning coffee as a "wake up call" rather than dessert style in Korea. They then informed me that they had heard of other Koreans who brought their "sticks" with them while traveling overseas. They laugh when i tell them i got my coffee sent from home. we share a love for 2 coffees that are utterly and completely unalike.

I find it funny that cultures can be crossed and understood through something as small as how someone likes thier coffee :) coffee drinkers unite!

some pictures of the sticks: a "mix" sized cup next to an ordinary cup, 2 sticks and a pencil, and the mix unleashed into said small cup.

Open Mic

Here are some pics of the Open night we had this past saturday, and as I mentioned, it was my first time getting up and singing. It was so much fun!

at the end of the night, there was even a marriage proposal- for more details see my jewellery blog.

We usually have our Open Mics at Haebyun Concert, on the Cafe Shore Road, Jeju city. This was the best turn out we've had so far, with so many talented, amazing performers.

Me and 2 friends were the back up singers for a band put together for the occasion:Part Time Groove. We performed Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye, Son of Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield, Proud Mary by Ike and Tina, and Groove is the heart by Deelite.

Debbie goin Solo

Us singin backup

Part Time Groove

Myles's big moment

upcoming

i have several post that i have written in the last week, but have not put up, because I am too lazy to sort out the pictures that go with some of them. most involve randomness of living in Korea. I will get to it, ...soon-ish.

I also found my new favorite blog today Cake Wrecks. it made me laugh out oud repeatedly. It is a blog dedicated to the most ridiculous cakes ever made- most by accident or sheer stupidity.

A blog of pure awsomeness.

Transient Love?

First of all, I had an absolutely amazing time tonight- it was my first time getting up at an Open Mic and performing in front of a large audience! it was exilerating. I want more.

At the end of the night, my friend propsed to his long time girlfriend, who also my close friend. I made the engagement ring. It was a wonderful moment. I actually jumped up and down....
although that might have been the vodka.

She told me the news this afternoon, but wasnt made official until tonight. Their engagement got me thinking about relationships while living abroad. I know they are for real because they knew each other from home.
When I say "real" I mean they know each other outside the confines of living abroad. I dont know how many relationships I've seen fizzle the moment they no longer coexist in Korea.

There have been a few success storie are but they few and far between. They usually involve a foreign man marrying a korean woman, but rarely do you see the other way around.

In the 6 years I've been here, I've dated other ESL teachers, US airforce stationed here, and Koreans. all have ended, most badly.
Others have shared similar experiences. the biggest reason seems to be the transient lifestyle of people coming to work in Korea for a limited time.
I had a friend say to me long ago "Theres no room for love in Korea, everone is on vacation."
Is this true?

pause.... just saw a cockroach run across my room. had to spray the life the out of it.
....and... done.

So. My point, or rather my pondering at 2 am, is this: can 2 people from similar backgrounds or culture meet in Korea, during their one year contract, fall in love and then make it work once their time in Korea is finished?
just wondering.