"More detailed updates..."

My favorite Limey in Chilgok has politely requested more info on the current work situation and I'm happy to oblige.  I've only officially been doing the job (floating) for ten days, but so far, it seems to be a lot of fun and a definite improvement on my former situation.  I feel like I will get a bird's eye view of all the different branches (there are over twenty) and can experience teaching at both the "Regular" and "Special" schools.  

Today was my first day teaching at a "Special" branch and there was a marked difference in atmosphere.  The halls were quieter and from the beginning I noticed fewer discipline problems in the classrooms.  The curriculum is simpler and allows more room for discussion, while the students seem more motivated and eager to participate.     

This job comes with the definite drawback of not having a set routine and class every day, but the advantage of being able to teach in and learn from all different work locations and situations.   I imagine it feels similar to being a consultant and I'm hoping to learn how to better adjust to life on the move.  

  

 

Jeju Review

(a bit late, but better than never...) 

The Jeju trip started out (as most good trips do) with McDonalds breakfast at the bracing hour of 5:30am on Saturday morning.  I met Louise, Amanda, and Amanda's friend Christie at Daegu Airport , where I was singled out for an upgrade to Prestige class.  It was definitely the swankiest 55 minute flight of my life so far.  

 

The tour bus (Ye-HA Tours) picked us up at the airport and showed us the sights, some of which included:

O'Sulloc Tea Museum- a green tea plantation and museum.  

(and me, being a teapot)

Cheonjiyeon Pokpo (waterfall).  Said to have healing properties.

Jeongbang Pokpo- "the only waterfall in the Orient that falls directly into the ocean." so our tour sheet informed us. 

(I'm just happy to be off the bus)

At the conclusion of the tour, we were picked up by the Ellen, the proprietress of our guest house .  It was a lovely little cottage with vaulted ceilings and a porch, though a bit far away from the action of downtown (about a seven minute cab ride, which Ellen graciously called for us several times during the weekend.) 

Dinner was at El Paso, a quality Mexican restaurant across from city hall, followed by an early night for the four of us.    

On Sunday morning, Amanda and Christie opted for another bus tour of the east end of the island, while Louise and I decided to explore the sights downtown.  We found some excellent duty free shopping at "The Shilla" duty free shopping center.  Jeju's status as a self-governing province affords it certain benefits in regard to commerce and this isn't mentioned in any guidebook and probably for the best.  Louise walked into a random bookstore and used her mobile phone's dictionary to show an employee the korean word for "Duty Free".  He understood and generously ushered us into a cab and gave the driver directions.  Props to Louise and her moxie.  

Dinner was a home-cooked affair and followed by an excursion to Loveland, a sexual theme park (oh, yeah).  Began in 2002 by 20 artist students from Hongik University, it was originally conceived as an outdoor sculpture garden designed for "sexual education" and "health" instruction.  The park's website describes it as "a place where sexually-oriented art and eroticism meet" and it's definitely worth the 7,000 won admission fee.    

On Monday morning, Louise and I boarded a 9am flight back to Daegu, not before discovering some more quality duty free opportunities at the Jeju airport.  All told, a very satisfying mini-break.  

The rainbow that capped off our trip: 

Adventures in Dentistry

So the visit to the dentist was motivated on by the, er, "discomfort" I began experiencing whenever I would chew on my right side.  I have an uncapped root canal tooth over there and I suspected that this might be causing the problem.  I was a bit freaked out at the thought of visiting a dentist in a foreign country, but read a few posts on Dave's that put me more at ease. 

For the record, I visited the MIR dental hospital in Daegu, which is the Kyungbook National University Hospital subway stop, exit 1, walk one block (toward Banwoldang junction), turn right and it's the large building about twenty feet on your right.  A helpful pharmacy technician pointed me in the right direction. The offices are beautiful and modern, with fountains, marble, and those little personal television sets at every station.  English ability of the staff is adequate, but I as usual, I'm surprised at how much information is conveyed through inference and standard operating procedure.  

Apparently the "discomfort" is caused by food impacting along the gum line as all seems to be well with the tooth.  I'm getting a crown put on the root canal tooth. (Cost= 455,000 won, or roughly $455, which is steep by Korean medical standards, but still about half what I'd pay in the states, even with insurance so I'm not complaining.)   

The experience was comparable to a visit to a western dentist (you know the drill <-- weak pun), except whenever anyone came to examine my mouth, they covered my face with a lavender scented towel with a hole cut out for the mouth.  I'm sure that is supposed to put me, the patient, at ease, but seriously now--  I'm the kind of girl that likes to know what's going on at all times.  I tried to adjust the towel so that I could peer out through the top of the mouth cut out, but they kept moving it back to give the dentist a better view (is their view really more important than mine?).  In the end, I just decided to try to relax and let them do their job.  Yeah, right.  

I have another appointment in two weeks.  

Korea for real

Continuing in my tour of the Korean medical system, I will be visiting the dentist tomorrow.  Woo.  

"Terrible!"

On one of the days I was out sick (see Anaphylaxis Adventures) I got a note from the sub that two of my kids wrote nonsense for homework.  I decided to take them to task for this in our next class.

Me: Tell me about your homework last week?

Student: My homework was terrible!

Good old fashioned honesty.  That's what I like to hear.      

Yesterday, we were discussing emergencies in class yesterday and I asked if anyone had ever called 119 (a topic on which I feel myself to be an expert) A few students sheepishly raised their hands.

Me: Why did you call 119?

Student: Because it is funny.

Me: Ah.  What is that called? (looking for "a prank call") 

Student: Terrible!

You gotta give 'em credit for spunk.  

City Girl

Thomas Hardy may have thought that the devil had gone with the world to town, but I feel as though God has set up house in the city.  On Wednesday I moved into a new flat right in the heart of town (Beomeo neighborhood) and so far, I'm loving my new location.  I can look out my window and see trees, grass, cars, and bustling civilization.  I've always loved the rhythm of the city and I believe it's because it makes me feel more connected to the world at large and reminds me that life is so much bigger than my problems.  

The move was motivated by a change in my job situation; I'm still working for the same company, only now I'm a "floater" teacher who travels to different branches to cover for other teachers who are sick, on holiday, or out of the office for any reason.  Again so far, the job seems pretty wonderful.  I miss not having the same set stable of kids, but I like the vantage point my mobile position affords.  I've only been doing it for three days, but so far, so good...  

Movin' on up!

Got my passport and Alien Card back just in time.

Jeju was beautiful.  

....aaand, your girl has moved.  Literally.  

Updates to come! 

The censors have been fired and the governor has been evicted.  

Welcome to the real deal.