Yeah for Holidays that Fall on Wednesdays!

Memorial Day in Korea is June 6th, which happens to be Wednesday. It is good and bad that it falls on Wednesday too bad it isn't a Friday or Monday or else it could be a three day weekend and I could go visit Japan or something. Anyway, but the nice thing it breaks up the week nice and neat. Also, I don't have any plans so I can sleep in as long as I want tomorrow for the first time in a long time without any obligations or other plans.

I am pretty tired though because I got less than six hours of sleep last night before I got up and went to church by 6:30 to pray. It was a good morning though and I felt very refreshed after that and one guy bought kimbap for breakfast. . . yummy! Anyway, another side note. . . it isn't the main reason I go to church that early at all, but the woman that I like goes every morning. She is an elementary school teacher and a couple of years older than me and is a very nice, joyful person. She must know that I am interested in her, but I don't know if she knows how to answer me. Her English is getting a lot better though since I first met with her and another friend maybe a month ago. She must be studying or trying more or something because we can talk to each other now. I asked her to have a cup of coffee with me on Monday, but she is going with a church friend tomorrow to play in another city in the East of Korea. Her church friend is another woman, but when she told me her name on the bus today, which is 희미, and it sounded like "he me". I was like "he?" and know it is a girl, she kind of smiled when I asked that. I am praying about this and who knows maybe she is praying about me too.

That is a big secret - so ssh- - only one of my friends knows that here. I have a lot of secrets here because it seems to be a big deal, people talk too much here!

Other than that, I am doing much better this week in everything. I have worked out everyday so far and seem to be getting back into it, at least I hope so. I am spending more time with God and in His word and really have a desire for it. Work is going better and seems more fun, especially today even after I should've been more stressed when they told me more students left.

That is all for now. . .

Time to Put it in Gear Again.

This is a picture of me a couple of weeks before the family came over here at the site of the Great King Sejong's tomb. King Sejong is a king that was very smart and invented many practical scientific and agriculture inventions. However, he is the most famous for essentially creating Hangul, the Korean written alphabet and language. This is about an hour outside of Seoul near the city of Yeoju, where I went with my friend to check out the Korea Pottery Biennial that is there.

Anyway, like this title is posted I need to get back in gear with my life again after my parents have left. A couple of ways, I am going to try to take a break from drinking or at least watch it more and try to go at it less for a while. I think this has effected my body in more ways than one. This week I went twice to work out since my parents left and I think I have lost muscle mass and I am weaker now. Today I couldn't lift the same weight amount I was before my family came. My goal for that is to work out four or five days a week and get back in gear with that and probably this month get some more personal training. I probably need it!

Tomorrow morning, I am going to return to the English service church after a couple of months before I go to the Korean church with some friends. My family made me aware of this and I think it is a good idea to attend a service that I can understand everything so I can get the most out of it. I need to do that for myself spiritually because lately I haven't been as good in that department as I should be. I think this is another thing that will help me in general right now with my life because I could be doing better in several areas.

I cannot believe it is June already, it really snuck up on me! I could take March, April, May, but June. . . crazy and that means I have been here eight months. I have seven months officially on my contract, so I am over halfway done now. It is definitely starting to feel like summer too and is very humid here sometimes, my one fan sometimes doesn't seem like it will be enough this summer.

I am also still doing my best to learn Korean and want to be more focused still and continue to advance. I know, right now that I am not thinking I will stay in Korea after this contract is over, so why learn Korean? I still think it is important and something to do to further my intelligence. Plus, I feel like if I ever wanted to date someone that I like from the church or whatever I need to learn more and more Korean. That is another thing to think about though what if I start dating someone and it gets serious, or worse I fall in love? Would I stay in Korea, be stuck here and never make it to Central or South America??

I am keeping busy, plus who can forget work that still takes up so much of my time. I am making good money and still saving enough. . . it is hard sometimes.

By the way, I think June probably snuck up on me so fast this year because well first, life is busy. Also, this is the first time that I am not on a semester schedule and really don't have like a big summer break, so time just all goes together. That kind of makes sense but I hope I get a break sometime soon maybe before the holiday in September because I would love to maybe check out Japan or China!

Till next time. . .

My parents and my brother left yesterday and it was a mixture of sadness and happiness for me. I am a little sad because I feel like I didn't really spend as much as time with them as I could in ten days. I didn't get any days off because there is not enough teachers except for the holiday on Thursday and the weekend. One of my best friends here probably saw them just as much as anyone, and my mom loved his sister who is my brother's age who speaks perfect English. She is only home from studying at the U of Michigan before she goes back for her senior year. I think she is more American than me at this point, and my mom wanted me to make sure that I tell them that she can visit my parents anytime she wants in the States.


My brother was a pain in the neck a lot because he missed his fiance so much, not to really want to do anything. The last three days he practically didn't do anything, but stay at the hotel and talk to her via webcam and all of that when she was awake. He said, Seoul, one of the biggest cities on the planet was boring and there was nothing to do.

They didn't like Korean food really at all, which was more disappointing. I ate more American, Italian, or whatever food in ten days than the entire time I've been here ~ well not really. It was stressful trying to keep them busy and happy, but what do I expect from my mom and dad. I hope they enjoyed the trip here and aren't just saying that. My dad with all of my friends and my family couldn't stop talking about business and how much money we have, etc. Now all my friends think my family is super rich ~ which I could careless about, but they met my dad.

Everyone in my family thinks I drink too much, and half joked about it and at the same time seem upset about this. I don't drink too much, it is just Korea's culture. I went out two nights while they were here with my friend and the first night it wasn't bad. The second night my friend and I ended up having a good time and drunk three bottles of soju. The next morning I was a little sick, so I met them at the hotel very late at about 1:30 and couldn't eat anything. They were a little mad. Monday night when we went to dinner with people from work, drinking is a big thing, a social activity. I had a little beer, but I couldn't drink the soju because my family especially my dad gave me these really mean looks. It was very embarrassing because it isn't really a problem, I don't feel like, but my family is another story.

They left yesterday morning, and I went to work out for the first time in two weeks after that. The trainer came up to me and asked me why I haven't been there in a long time. I told him that my family came, etc. Then he asked me, "you still drink a lot sometimes?" I said yes, sometimes I drink and he told me, "yes", maybe becasue I look like I lost some muscle mass in my arms. He said, "you have a lot of stress, why?" I guess he cares, but sometimes I don't know if he cares or what the intention is, but I would like to think we are friends. It isn't a big deal though - but I will try to not do it as much and get back in the gear of sleeping better and working out. I just think it is funny how he acts concerned about me and he used to joke with me about how many bottles of soju I can drink and how much he drinks sometimes. Maybe he doesn't really want to drink a lot sometimes, but feels obligated to because he is with other people, but now I don't mind drinking soju sometimes and almost find it fun.

Life is a work in progress - - ->the next goal is maybe to start watching my drinking again and be responsible and drink less. It isn't my problem though, it is the result of being in Korea too long.

I Have a Computer Again!

My parents are here in Seoul now visiting me and they brought me my new Sony Notebook computer, so I can blog again. There are many stories that I could share right now but because of time maybe I won't. I have managed to create some drama in my life as always, but I am keeping it to a minimum. I managed to break up a boyfriend and girlfriend, but it's okay. The bright side is I did the girl a favor, and I think I made the right decision to not pursue her even though she wanted me because she isn't the best for me.

I am continuning to study Korean as hard as I can even though I know I might not end up staying after this year.

My parents got here on Sunday night, but ever since I have been stressed out a lot about trying to keep them happy and busy. So far, they are acting too American or I am acting too Korean maybe their opinion. I have a holiday on Thursday so at least I have another day with them besides the weekend before they leave next Wednesday. I am trying to enjoy their visit, but I need the space. I am not spending the night with them and my brother at the hotel tonight and won't see them until lunch tomorrow. My friends are helping out as best they can, but it is hard to make my parents happy. Maybe Korea is too different for them. . . and my brother misses his fiancie too much, it is sickening! I am glad they are here and I am going to make the most out of it and enjoy the visit!

That is all for now, I will try to blog more often again though now. ^^

I just want to remind everyone that this blog is not dead! I do not have a computer working at my home anymore so I have to use the one here at work. I haven't had a working labtop for a while now maybe when my parents come I'll be forced to be a new one then or something. I apologize for not keeping everyone informed and all that jazz. I am very busy these days with work, friends, excersizing, my life, etc. and I am doing well.

I would like to share with you many things, but maybe in about a month I'll be more connected again. Sorry!

My life is simple right?

Actually, maybe not so much. Well, I am meeting Jihye on Saturday for dinner at a Italian/French restaurant. I don't know about that, but I made those plans with her and I am going for sure. Technically, it isn't a date but I don't know what we are. . . we talked on the phone yesterday for about fifteen minutes.

I am still talking on the phone a lot to the girl I met on the subway back in December. We are good friends, but she still doesn't want to meet yet. She says she needs time for herself right now and we will meet soon when she has things in order. I feel like we are almost in a relationship over the phone, it is crazy! I care about her and our friendship, so I hope we do meet soon. She is older than me, but that isn't important. I find myself wondering what it will be like when we do meet.
I feel like we already are in some sort of relationship.

So crazy. . . why? but not really.

It is very cold here this week. It snowed pretty much all day today, but nothing really sticks here so it is pretty, except I was at work and the kids drove me crazy all day! I hope it warms up soon because they say Spring in Korea starts in March. I guess I am ready for that beautiful season.

I am still working out everyday at the gym and when I can with the trainer. Today was a very intense work out with him today that is going to leave my legs sore tomorrow I think when I go in. We went to lunch today and he is always telling me to eat more of course, it is good and he cares, but sometimes I don't like to hear that kind of stuff. I need to though!

안녕하세요.

This morning I worked out with the trainer and that was kind of intense little work out learning new weight exercises and doing sit ups and all of those things. He really pushed me, but I have to say I am becoming pretty spoiled with those whole exercise thing having the trainer to help me and give me a plan to follow. Will I ever be able to exercise again without a personal trainer? Anyway, tomorrow night we are going to lift weights and then have dinner and drink some, so that should be fun!

Jihye called me tonight and wanted to meet tomorrow, but I am busy most of the day and don't really have time. We agreed to meet next Saturday and she sounded very enthusiastic and wanted to talk for a bit.

If I am going to date anyone I would like to go on a date with one of the girls maybe that goes to the same church. Any suggestions about how I should go about doing that without feeling like a total fool?

Feeling Good.

I am feeling good for a couple of reasons. First, I have been working out every morning and actually doing what I am supposed to do with the weights and stuff, it helps that the trainer is there though and comes around and checks to make sure I am doing it. Even when it isn't officially a training time he still shows me stuff and helps me a lot when I can, maybe he feels guilty for how much I have to pay for him! I am a little sore, but I see this as a means to keep going because I must be doing good then. I meet with the trainer again on Friday morning and then I am meeting him Saturday night. I guess we are going to go to another fitness club and he is going to show me some more exercises for free weights. Then I guess we are going to have some drink and talk.

Another benefit of working out everyday is that I feel better at work everyday and more motivated to teach. Exercise must be like my "Happy Drug". Anyway, so that is good and I am usually pretty tired already by 10. So that means I am going to bed earlier like I come home and turn on the drama, wash dishes, brush my teeth, and get ready for bed. I woke up and went to church Monday morning before I worked out at 5:15 but I don't think I can do it everyday, it isn't healthy for me. I think God is telling me it is okay if I don't make it because I need to stay healthy just spend some time with Him in the morning here. I am also going through The Purpose Driven Life these days, so that is good.

Tomorrow is a day off because March 1 in Korea is like Constitution Day or something. I am going to get my haircut sometime tomorrow.

Keeping busy. . .

I am beginning to realize that life doesn't really get easier after university and you get a job and start making money. For me, I have realized since starting this whole thing and coming to Korea I have to constantly evaluate myself and where I am at and my priorities. I have to see what changes I can make for the better and what things I cannot change and just have to deal with those things and make the most out of it. I am so busy these days that life just seems to go. . . and I have to really try to enjoy every moment and be able to see how much I have achieved and where I have come from to this point. Especially by being in Korea I can see so many changes I have made in my life some by choice and others not by choice, they just sort of happened. I don't think I can really explain the depth of how much I feel like I have changed in the last almost five months since being here in Korea. My life is here in Korea though for the moment and it still sounds strange to say, but it feels almost normal. I am starting to realize that life is always going to be challenging and that I have to constantly evaluate the situation and make the best choices I can make and with God's direction of course for my life.

Yesterday, I went to the foreigners' cematary here in Seoul where a lot of missionaries, doctors, nurses, etc are barried. It is hard to explain why I felt the need to go there or how that made me feel and what I got from that. I think a lot, and it was important to me to see that and stand on that hallow ground. I really am not sure if I can explain that but it was a beautiful thing and feeling being there in this very beautiful small park area.

I also went to Seoul National University subway station yesterday because I wanted to hike up a mountain there. I couldn't find the mountain though or at least the trail where you hike up it, I could see the mountains of course. I walked maybe for forty minutes and finally just gave up and walked around the Seoul National University campus. One of the top universities in Korea there were a lot of young people there maybe getting ready for the semester to start and also there was some kind of graduation. It was beautiful in my opinion, and I took some nice pictures, but my Korean friends said that other universities are much more beautiful especially in Spring when the cherry blossoms come. Anyway, for the briefest time while walking there I had the same feelings I did when I went to KU for the first time when I was so excited and free ready to experience life! It also made me remember very happy times and good things like walking on campus with friends and talking enjoying the scenery. Many things I recalled, not like it was too long ago. . . but shortly after I felt very sad. It was incredible how sad I felt, I was very surprised but I realized that that part of my life is over in a sense and I will never feel so free and light like that again maybe. It made me feel old, I know that must be common, but for some reason that was so surprising yesterday how strong that felt.

Last night was a good night too, I hung out with my friend's high school friend that I met last weekend. I guess we are now friends though and we plus the girl he is dating went to dinner. She was very pretty. We ate, and then went to Namsan Tower where you can see all of Seoul from above very impressive, and then we went back to a place and ate some like dried fish and soup and drank sakke. It was a very good time I think.

This morning I met with my trainer at 8AM after getting not much sleep, but it was okay. I am going to try to exercize almost every day with the training schedule I have. Then I came back here and ate at McDonalds for breakfast and met two girls there, one was drunk. But she wouldn't stop talking to me and I sat with them while I ate because I am nice like that, it was entertaining needless to say. I probably won't see them again though, they work at a bar here in the area where I live, but I am not crazy about the party area here in my neighborhood.

Then I went to the Korean church and had a very good worship service and felt God's presence there. Then I had my small group Bible Study, which I really like and need in my life, I am greatful for that. I feel like that is one of the few places where I am very honest about my life and feelings and they can help and pray for me there. It also challenges me and at the same time I hope that they feel the same way that they can be honest and share, which I think we all do. I am very glad about that!

Tomorrow I will wake up at 5:15 and try to go to church every morning this week for the 6:30 service and then work out right after that. I am hoping to maybe be back here by 11:00 tomorrow morning and do some work related stuff on the internet before I go and of course eat.

There is more as always, but I think that is the important stuff that I think is worth sharing.

I have not blogged for the past week for a couple of reasons; I've been busy as usual, I haven't feel like it because I have been a little down, and I have been kind of tired as always.

Let's see where to start. . . the holiday weekend came and I did nothing special once so over for the three day weekend. I was supposed to meet Jihye on Monday after I worked out for the first time with a trainer at the fitness club. But she cancelled through text message at 5 AM that day. I don't think I was too sensitive about the whole situation and the next day we were both maybe a little frustrated at each other and fought a little bit through text message, I know kind of strange. Then I emailed her to apologize because she wouldn't text me or pick up my calls. She pretty much said she was sorry she had to cancel but with our different schedules, etc it is hard to make time for us and she values the time blah blah. It owuld be easier if we were back in Lawrence and we were students and all we had was time. Oh Lord - I know things are different but that made me feel old. Anyway, she told me to meet her Wednesday for lunch if I wanted around where she worked.

I met her Wednesday and we went to lunch and I gave her the small gift I was going to give her on Valentine's Day a notebook with a note in it, and one of my favorite CDs. So, we went to the restaurant and pretty much I was honest and explained myself kind of at the beginning about the frustration and communication problems, etc. I told her that I know time isn't really on our side but you know I was willing to try dating or whatever because I thought maybe she wanted too. Then she talked and told me that on Valentine's Day she received an expensive basket from the guy she was dating in Lawrence (I thought she ended that). In additiion, she was like he is crazy about me and I don't know why but for now we are going to try. That was a little awkward. She still took my gift though.

The more I think about it, however, nothing has changed about her even after this conversation we attempted to chat and she still made me feel maybe not smart or kind of dumb around her. She is so wrapped up in going to American and misses life there, TV shows, etc. and I on the other hand don't really miss that sort of stuff. I love listening to Korean music and watching Korean dramas and so on. She said things like "how can you understand the dramas, you don't know Korean, your main motivation here is not really to learn Korean." Okay, but I am still trying pretty hard to learn as much as I can when I have the time and energy. She talked a lot about applying for jobs this semester and then wanting to get into grad school in the US that sort of thing. She was like "why did you give up social work? why do you think you couldn't get a job in the US? What is your career goal or dream?" I don't know how she meant these questions to come across but to me they sound almost like criticisms and make me feel inferior in some way.

I realized why am I wasting my time trying to make this relationship come out of nothing. She hasn't changed and I don't need to feel like that around someone I am dating. I deserve better than that someone who is going to love me and support me, someone who is not trying to get me to second guess my life, my decisons, or my life. Even though we agreed to call each other and still hang out a lot. . . I am almost to the point where I don't want to be super close to me. And if she does like me, I don't want to be in that weird situation.

So, I am still working out at the fitness club. I meet with the trainer for the third time tomorrow at 10 AM before I have to start paying extra if I want to keep training with him. His English isn't great, but not bad and he seems to be nice and teaching me how to lift weights and use the machines, etc. For me I think it is more the motivation that working out with a trainer gives especially on weight lifting. I hate weight lifting, but that is what I need to concentrate on. . . I need all the help I can get. I enjoy the gym though.

Monday night I spent the night at my friend Yehun's, high school friend June oo's apartment. He lives by himself which was surprising in a very nice place I thought. The next morning we all went to the fitness club together in his like brand new white BMW, I felt like I was living the good life riding around in the backseat of that car.

I also started this week doing a private lesson for about an hour, twice a week with a Korean woman who teaches at the academy on Saturdays doing writing but in Korean. That is some more money to be made and is going good so far.

That is about it I guess for now.

A Hard Work-Out

This afternoon about 2:00 I went with my friend to the fitness club maybe we were there for at least two hours. We did some leg weights and ab exercizes than I did the stairmaster for the first time and ran on the treadmill. At the end the trainer tried to show me how to do a squat position like my friend tried to show me, but my body can't do. Pretty much there isn't enough muscle in my back to do it, I think is what he told me. And another thing Koreans for some reason call your butt, your hip so they say your hip needs to go back it is really your butt. No since in arguing about this because they for some reason think your butt is part of your hip. Needless to say the trainer guy called me weak and thinks I need to build up my legs first before anything else and should gain at least fifteen pounds. If I cannot gain weight in the US like people have been doing it for years, do you think it is going to happen here. . . haha not going to happen. I had a good work out and felt nice afterwards, but not too happy with the trainer saying that I am weak and all of that and telling my friend. A little humiliating, but that is okay and just took it. I am meeting with my trainer on Monday at 12:00 because I guess I paid for it as part of my membership. I don't want to have a football player's body or look like a weight lifter just be healthy and maybe look better and a little stronger. We'll see. . . I think it is still a good thing that I joined the gym though.

I called Jihye tonight to talk about what we will do Monday and where we will meet. I think many things will probably still be closed because of the New Year holiday tomorrow. Maybe half of Seoul's 12 million people have left the city for the country and their family, so the city is a lot quieter. It is kind of nice actually. Anyway, we ended up talking on the phone for about twenty minutes about each others' days and other stuff, so that is good that she wanted to talk for a while. I hope we have a good time on Monday and I'll know if we are actually dating or not. It could be nice!

Life is busy, but it is good. Sometimes I wish I could do more serving and stuff like I am used to besides teaching kids English all day, which is a service and giving my tithe every month to the church. Right now that is really all I have time for and can really do besides pray for the Korean people and North Korean people. Many Koreans are praying hard this year for Revival 2007 to mark the 100th year annniversry of a great revival that took place through Korea of the Holy Spirit. North Korea also needs our prayers because it is estimated that many of the 20 million people there are malnurished and may be starving. It is almost like Idol worship there with the statue and propoganda there. We know there are Christians there, but if they are found heavily persecuted and killed. Okay, sorry went off on a tangent there. . .

Keep in touch!

3 Day Weekend!

This week has came to a close and I am ready for the three day weekend! I have to say exercising is already making me feel better though because I went today to the fitness club for the second time by myself. I felt so much more refreshed and with energy today at work and the day always flies by as usual. I need things like that to help me feel like I like my job and can do well, not the drinking after work until 2 or 3 in the morning. They told me tonight that we will probably go out again next week, I think my goal now is just not to drink as much and somehow make sure I don't, no matter how drunk the rest of them get. Exercising is definitely going to help and make me feel better and hopefully I'll get a great body! The funny thing is that I actually like the showers better at the fitness club better than in my apartment, I almost wish I could just go there everyday to shower.

This week I have been fighting loneliness a little bit. I think Valentine's Day didn't help obviously bbecause Jihye cancelled on me. I emailed her yesterday to see about meeting me this weekend and she was like I am busy on Saturday. It is hard for us to make time to meet with our different schedules. Then she emailed me today and was like I realized that Monday is a holiday, you have the day off. Let's meet for lunch if you want. I said sure. . . but what do you think? Is she just being friendly or does she kind of like me the way I thought before when we had such a good time together. I would like to try to find out on Monday if this is going anywhere at all. It would be hard to date her though because of my schedule stinks so much. . . and we don't live that close to each other.

What do you think out there in the peanut gallery?

I don't know if I have said it already, but my parents and my brother are coming to Korea from May 21st to May 30th to visit me! They have the plane tickets already and are working with a travel agent now about hotels, but they are going to send me the list and stuff before they make the final decision. I am really happy, it was one of my prayer requests for this year that they would come at least once. My friends all are excited for them to come too because they will have to help me a lot since I will have to work the week they come from 2-10 pretty much everyday! They will be here the week that there is a holiday andn I have the Thursday off maybe my boss will bge nice and let me have Friday off too. It is definitely something to look forward to!

Valentine's Date Cancelled.

Yes, at about 9:2o tonight Jihye cancelled the date for Valentine's Day after I got off work. She texted me and said that she was chillin at the Starbucks at the subway station and it was closing soon. There was nothing else really in the area to do. Then I got a message right after that saying we should meet another day earlier becasue she wasn't feeling well and is not a night person. Well, that sort of sucks because I was looking forward to it and everything!

I guess maybe I'll give her one more chance. Maybe we can meet on Saturday for lunch or something and just talkk for a while.

Another reason why Valentine's Day is a stupid holiday that I shouldn't care about that much.

In other news I joined my friend's fitness club this morning and I like it. I mgiht try to start working with one of the trainers though because I could see where I might get frustrated with my friend . Maybe I can get a good body and some one will want to wait for me no matter what next Valentine's Day somewhere. . .

Yeah, I know keep dreaming.

Valentine's Day

Tomorrow night (actually today since it is after midnight) is my little Valentine's date with Jihye. I did some research today to try to find something that we can do in the area that we are meeting tomorrow night, but I got nothing. I emailed her, but haven't heard from her maybe she knows about something to do, either way we are meeting. When I double checked the subway station she emailed me back with :) so I was excited. I bought a notebook today and wrote a little note in it and might get something else small. She'll probably give me chocolate and maybe something else since the women traditionally give the men chocolate on Valentine's Day here. Usually I am the opposite on Valentine's Day leaning toward the side of what a stupid holiday like why do I need a date to feel special or loved? I have to say though it feels kind of nice to actually have something planned though and with someone who thinks it is nice too!

I am joining my friend's fitness club tomorrow, Bali Fitness, the American company. It is a little bit farther away and a little bit expensive but I think it is a good choice after seeing it and everything. He said to expect two hours tomorrow ~I guess I'll be working out as well. For the past couple of days I have been doing some push ups and sit ups to get ready. . . the push ups have made me really sore, but at the same time not as weak. So tomorrow for my first day I'll already be sore.

It ended up being cold and rainy here today, so what is rain mean in Korea. It is an informal tradition that you drink that day. Of course I had no idea about this until it was quiting time for the day. Ashley, the other American teacher, already had plans to meet a friend at a bar to drink. I went with the four Koreans to a restaurant to eat and have soju. I was very proud of myself I didn't even finish a shot glass of soju tonight, which by the way tasted in particulary awful and potent.

Oh, I got up for church today and got there and figured out that the service wasn't happening that day. I got back on the subway for the half an hour back and prayed on it. I don't think I will make it tomorrow since it is already almost one o'clock and I neeed more sleep as always! Too tired these days even with cutting out the caffeine and hoping to get more energy and sleep with exercising.

That is all for now~

A Date on Valentine's Day? Who me?

Could it be true? So, yeah I saw the movie Click with my friend Jihye this morning and then we went to lunch and had Japanese Ramen noodles, pretty good. She asked me a little bit about if I ever do anything special on Valentine's Day, etc. Has she? Maybe a hint, I don't know. . . but it could be fun to do something and I thought about that after I left today where we met.

I called her tonight and was like why not try, the worst that will happen is she will say she doesn't want to meet. So she has her internship from 8-5 everyday and I work so 2-10. So, we are meeting at a subway station at 10:30 between here and where she lives and we can do something small and fun for maybe about an hour and half. She'll catch a bus by midnight when they stop running and I'll possibly catch a taxi if I can't catch the subway. It will be fun though I think. . . I've never had anything like a date before on Valentine's Day!

Tomorrow I am going shopping tomorrow with a friend possibly to buy a new shirt or something to wear. . . I know I sound kind of like a girl, but hey I am in Korea it is okay to look fashionable and care about what you look like.

I might have possibly found a fitness club with my friend to join tonight, but who knew finding a fitness club would be so complicated. We are going to his gym tomorrow after church ~ but it is kind of far from my house and a little expensive maybe.

Okay, that is all! I need to sleep better this week!

The Weekend has Arrived!

I realized that this morning's post was not the most positive, sometimes it happens! I made it through the day okay, even though recently a lot of the girl students have suddenly started to get major attitudes with me ane hate me. Bummer!

I am feeling a lot less stressed now though since the work week ended. I came back here and journaled a bit, listened to music, and ate some rice and had a cup of coffee. I'll probably watch a TV show soon before I go to bed, it is a show with popular Korean musicians on playing their songs.

Tomorrow morning I am meeting my friend Jihye for a movie at 10:50. We will see Click the only English movie available at that time at the place we will go. We will have lunch afterwards, so I hope it is fun and not stressful. She seems excited about seeing me again, so we'll see what happens.

Then tomorrow night I am meeting my friend Yehun for dinner at an Italian wine bistro place where I went before that is very good. Then after that I hope we find a gym that I can join and work out because I feel like I am getting weaker and weaker and dying a slow death, but that could still be from the tequila.

Sunday is church day and studying Korean with a friend. Let's try to keep the posts positive okay?

The Crazy Week!

I have not posted in a couple of days just from the lack of time and energy. I have felt like I have been attacked this week in someway since I have started to try to go to church everyday in the mornings. Tuesday night at work, the one Korean teacher that only comes at night walks in and goes "we are drinking tonight!" AH. . . I was preparing for Friday night and was so tired and he was like "well its your choice, but we are going, tell me by 10." Pretty much this means you should go if you are a good worker. .. so we went out after work to a place for a meal and some soju. I did okay after the soju and thought I would make it through the night while texting one of my friends on the phone. They all are end up being the same after you've gone on one we eat, drink, the Koreans talk in Korean a lot, and people get drunk. Anyway, after that my boss left and I went with the three other teachers to another bar, western style and they ordered a whole bottle of tequila and beer. We started to take shots of tequila or shots of tequila in a glass of beer which I didn't really want to do. Oh so terrible, at one point I started to throw up a little and instead of them caring, it was like "oh that just means you have more room in your stomach to drink more!" I got my friend to come to the area so I had an excuse to leave early and we came back here and I went to sleep very drunk. Apparently they stayed out till maybe 5 that morning because they all are heavy drinkers, I don't understand. . . it isn't that fun or great! Needless to say I was in pain Wednesday morning and sick but somehow managed to shower and do everything to get to work by 2. Wednesday was a bit painful and I am still recovering. Apparently, they are going out again tonight, but I told them I can't because I have plans. . . they think I have a date or something, but whatever I am not going. I am getting to the point where drinking is not fun anymore and I am beginning to hate it and could stop right now and be okay! I have to say no better and not drink so much when I have to go out, but Korean "drinking culture" is not cool being forced to drink sometimes.

I went to church yesterday morning, but didn't make it this morning because I woke up at 5:15 and decided it would be better for me to sleep more. I haven't got more than 5 hours of sleep yet this week before last night. . . it is hard because I get off work at 10 and then get up at 5:15 the next morning for church. Don't get me wrong I want to get better and go every morning because I really enjoy that time with God and praying with other people. Sometimes that seems like it is my only real solid time with God everyday. Plus, I like the people and fellowship and eating breakfast everywhere, much more fun than sitting around drinking with my coworkers. I am trying not to be bitter, but still love them all but at the same time be different. A couple of them go out every night and don't get home till 5 or 6 in the morning. The other American teacher called me a "grandpa" this week when I said I go to church every morning. Oh well - I really enjoy it and can tell at church the people genuinely care about me and my health not like at work. I want to continue to do that and try to be more open in my small group as we should all try to do with other people about my struggles here in Korea.

Work is going okay though. . . the kids either like me or hate me. I don't know why but some upper elementary - middle school aged girls lately have aquired ugly attitudes. It is like I am some disease or I am always yelling at them, but I am only yelling at them because they do nothing or talk the whole time. Some classes can be very frustrating because you feel like you get nothing accomplished except yell or try to get students to pay attention who don't really like you or pretend that they don't like you anyway. The young kids are a lot of fun - it was really cute yesterday in my class one of the little boys wanted to hold my hand the entire time in class. But then the older kids the boys have started again wanting to constantly pet my arm hair, which gets a little ridiculous. Work is work, but still takes up a lot of energy.

This weekend is a bit busy too. . . I hope to find a gym maybe sometime Saturday with my friend. . . my body is falling apart. From the lack of sleep, stress, and drinking I feel like a man in his 40s or 50s instead of a 25 year old man!

This morning I was walking to the subway station about ten minutes to six to get to church for the early morning service for my second day. Guess who is walking down the street with two Korean guys where there no one is on the street? It is the other American teacher, Ashley from Louisiana, and I have to say hi of course. She isn't going to not notice me, so I did and you could tell she had not been home yet that night. She was like "what's up Ty, where you going?" I said, "church" and she was like "oh f$#%!" and kept walking. A little awkward, and I definitely don't want her to feel like I am going to judge her now. Oh well. . . I am going to keep going and hopefully be a light to my coworkers.

It really has made my day go a lot better when I wake up so early and pray. I enjoy it and seeing peopel that early in the morning!

This morning I woke up at 5:20 to go to my church for my first early morning prayer service that are so well known in other parts of the world by Christians about Korea! I feel like God is doing something special in me here in Korea and I feel like He is using me in many ways I cannot see! I find that it is so refreshing to me and a sense of joy to rely on God so much. . . it almost makes my life simpler. I also like knowing that I have fellowship and people are praying for me as I am praying for them despite the language barrier. It is very amazing to me!

Anyway, I am excited to see what God has in store this year for me, Korea, and everything! Anyway, just thought I would share.

Winter Time!

Today, I made it out to Korean National Museum, which only took maybe forty minutes to get there, shorter than I thought. I only made it through the first floor this morning before my appointment with Jihye. It is a big beautiful museum and I saw a lot of artificats and learned a lot about ancient Koreans all the way up to more recent Koreans and history. Very interesting insights into Korea and its culture.

Then I spent about forty-five minutes outside on the brisk winter day admiring the park area outside, looking at the pagodas and enjoying the scenery. Then I made it Yongsan Family Park connected to it and walked around that taking some beautiful pictures. It was a nice quiet time for me that I really enjoyed! My legs are actually sore now though from all the walking especially since I didn't wear tennis shoes because I never do, instead I was in my nice black dress shoes. It was all worth it though. . . I had a great time today.

Then I met my friend Jihye, at the station where we planned. She was late but that is okay because the traffic was so heavy. She looked nice. . . and we went to Japanese restaurant and I had the rainbow roll of sushi, very good. Then we went to a coffee shop place and sat and talked for a while. It was very enjoyable and I guess we are going to try to see each other more often again. She hinted to me, or at least I think it was the purpose that she has been going and likes to see movies on Saturday mornings and if I want to come I should call her. Maybe next weekend, I'll be doing that. It was a very enjoyable time with her though and who knows maybe we'll see. . .

I am all about enjoying the weekend the best I can because I need the break and time for me to do what I want!

One More Time.

I am going to try one more time to meet my friend, Jihye again. The one that I have not seen since (well according to my journal October 25th), but she was the one that made me so mad when she cancelled in December when I tried to take my friend Yehun tomorrow. Well, I am going to the Korea National Musuem tomorrow and probably won't see it all, it is the largest museum in Asia and sixth largest in the world. Anyway, we are meeting somewhere around there tomorrow I guess. . . I am excited and she sounded excited. Maybe it will actually be fun and not too serious and there won't be a lack of conversation or something. There should be enough to talk about though. . . it will be interesting to say the least I guess.

Tonight I thought we were going to go drinking after work till at least three in the morning like always, but people had plans. We are going to do it next Friday at least I have time to prepare and have enough energy for next Friday night. I can also prepare my mind for it and prepare to drink some soju, and have my mind in a place where I can convince msyelf it will be fun. For some reason, I know it is normal in Korea and perfectly acceptable to drink and get drunk with your coworkers, but I am very uncomfortable in these situations and try not too drink so much. I know my limit! So, next Friday prepare for a long night. . .

I am glad it is Friday! I was pretty tired of work tonight, yesterday and today definitely the kids wore me out and I wasn't always in the best mood I don't think. My apartment is a mess and this weekend I need to try to sweep and maybe clean the floor and try to really clean the bathroom. . . we'll see.

I was very happy today that my friend told me that the blankets his mom and him brought last Sunday are for me to keep. . . because they are so soft and warm!

Yesterday I started to make a list of ways I have changed since I have been in Korea. . . maybe I will share some of those items sometime soon. Please tell me if you can tell of any or know of any from your observations I will verify or tell you not at all. Today is my 4 month of Anniversiry of Coming to Korea!!! Crazy ~ how the time has gone by.

I think I am finally starting to get better. . .at least I hope so anyway.

Yesterday, I got my haircut again because I was starting to look like a gorilla. Some of the kids noticed, but some of the kids were mean yesterday. I was like, "do you like it?" They say, "NO!, no change!" whatever. . .I like it.

I ate so much yesterday and had so much coffee yesterday but still managed to sleep about eight hours last night. I ate at McDonalds for breakfast, good Korean food for lunch, and kimbap for dinner. Yesterday seemed to fly by. . . the fastest day ever! It was almost scary!

I have decided that I have to join a gym soon because I miss exercising so much! I feel like I am getting weak, my stomach is too flabby, I am getting fat in Korea, and I have no muscle. I feel like it would help me be more healthy and even make me more handsome and help me find a girlfriend, haha! I don't know, my friend is going to help me look, but I might have to join his which is expensive but top quality. I told him that if I do I don't want the free personal trainer for the first week or whatever, it is already embarrassing enough that I am an American there and so weak at that!

Saturday, I don't think my friends are going to be around. I think I am going to venture on my own to the Korea National Museum. It is the largest museum in Asia and the sixth largest in the world all for the price of maybe 2-3 USD! Showcasing Korea's 5,000 year history. Sounds interesting and it is by a huge park except it will probably be too cold to sit in the park for a long time.

The State of My Health?

Yesterday, I thought I was getting better and then today. . . I don't know if the weather was a factor since it was a lot colder today. My cough seemed to be worse today and my chest hurts more than ever from the cough. Not like a painful sort of way, but I can feel it ache, maybe not the best. I am tired a lot, and runny nose, a little sore, and sometimes a slight headache. Some of you might think I am dead sick, and should see a doctor immediately. I, however, think it is not that bad and feel like I exaggerate these kind of things a lot in my head, and how you feel mentally has impact on your physical health right? So in my head most of the time I think it is worse than it actually is, so I need to be strong and get through it! I don't want people to feel sorry for me or feel like I am trying to get attention like look at the poor American he is sick and needs our help especially from my boss or other people at work. They might notice that I have been less tired and have a cough, but hopefully they think maybe I have just a bad cold, I try to keep my poker face on a lot except for teaching than I am happy and fun teacher, Ty!

I have decided if I don't feel better after tomorrow then I will probably talk to the main Korean teacher about seeing a doctor.

I also have a busy day tomorrow with my haircut, lunch with my friend after that, and then work all day after that! I am going to bed pretty soon. . . maybe tomorrow I'll ask my friend about going to a pharmacy and getting something.

In the mean time today was diary day at the school and the topic was money, the kids had some pretty interesting sentences and essays from that. Tonight I just read some interesting essays by middle school girls. . . a lot of the kids that come to my academy must be rich, I have decided! Korean kids have it made, except when they aren't studying their childhoods away. . .just my opinion sometimes.

I also started making my vocabulary test tonight (small) for my middle school students on TOEFL iBt test.

Other than that I find amusement in stealing napkins from McDonalds so I can use them here in my apartment besides toilet paper or kleenix like tissues!

An Update. . .

So this weekend ended up being fantastic! Except for Sunday afternoon/night after church. I came back home and felt horrible. . . like sick. I was so mad because I was not going to miss work over some minor cold. I had to ask my friend to help me, he came later with his mom with some blankets and a lot of food! Thank you!

I went to work still not feeling the best, and today will go to even though I am still not at 100% yet. No one seemed to really notice that maybe I didn't feel good though or if they did, they didn't say anything. Which is good!

Maybe that is all I have to say.

As I am waiting for my hair to dry on this late Saturday night. . . early Sunday morning let me tell you about my Saturday.

Well, I had no private lesson today which was nice, so I got to sleep in today without stress about a lessson, which was kind of nice. I met my friend Chang Woo for lunch here to talk in English/Korean lesson. We ate at a Korean restaurant and I had tuna kimbap and then we went to McDonalds, he had a sundae I had coffee. It was cold today and there was occassional snow showers. I am beginning to think that winter could possibly be my favorite season. The cold weather makes me feel so alive, and I love to dress in layers anyway so it is perfect. Today at McDonalds during one particular heavy snowfall for about ten minutes it made me feel so much less stress. Watching it snow, the white pure flakes, in this huge city of buildings almost gives me some sense of peace and I feel like time is going slower. It is so peaceful and to even walk home in a light snow shower while the sun is peaking through at the same time almost makes me day! The snow doesn't really stick in this city, but that is okay because I am beginning to love winter and dread summer! I think sometime before the season is up I am going to go with a friend(s) outside of Seoul to a mountain area and the fresh air and walk and see a lot of snow! So exciting because I want to enjoy all four seasons here in Seoul!

I have decided also today to be excited and explore as much as I can while I am here and be content. . . easier said than done I know, but I am going to try. Tonight I went with my friend to 63 Building in Yeouido, the Manhattan area of Seoul. 63 building is currently the tallest in Seoul and I paid 21,000 won (22-24 USD) for the aquarium, IMAX theater Mystery of the Nile, and the sky deck of 63 Building. The aquarium was cool, but not the biggest, I enjoyed the penguins the most, I could watch them all day. The IMAX was cool and a good movie and I had an English translation device too so that was cool. The Sky Deck was cool too at night to see Seoul, it is a big city! There was a bar/coffee shop up there, didn't get anything. There was even a man playing saxophone up there, but it was like Korean drama theme love songs. A lot of people on dates up there. It was very sophisticated, neat area though.

Then we went to a Mexican restaurant, La Casa Loca, the highlight of my weekend. I don't know why but my friend made sure we were going to eat there because he made reseravations at 8 for us to eat there. It was very nice and sophisticated in this nice area. We ordered chicken enchillada, chicken fajitas, and chicken tacos. . . with of course chips and salsa some guacamole too, so good! It was like a gourmet Mexican restaurant though. . . and I even had a margarita which tasted very good! It was not exactly cheap the bill came out to maybe 75.000 won (about 77-80 USD) we had a discount so it only came to maybe 65.000 won about 20.000 each, but it was worth it. I was so happy! There was three of us by the way my friend Chang Woo met us later. Then we took the bus back again and it is about an hour by bus from where I live. It was so nice though because the roads were so wide, a richer more modern area from my home neighborhood and less crowded on the weekend since it is a business district so mainly crowded during the week. I really enjoyed it!

Then I came back here and as I was walking home not too far away from the bus stop, who do I see on the road? My boss, and he is like we are drinking now, "what do you do?" "You drink with us?" Since he is my boss and older I was like sure, okay I drink with you. It was his wife, him, a Korean teacher from Saturdays, and then later the other American teacher came. I maybe had three beers, and we ate fruit and stuff it was actually a good time. My boss was very relaxed and since I can understand a lot of his style and English more it is much better. I was very happy, he actually complimented me tonight a couple o times, very surprised. He was like sometimes after work I go out with Shawn, the main Korean teacher and he talks about how I am good now and have a good teaching style. He is like you were slower to adapt (Haha, and I laugh too), but now I don't worry about you. I was so happy to hear those things tonight!

For those of you who got my email updates, I have pictures that I will include an email of 63 Building, Mexican food, and pictures of my boss and his wife, and other teachers. Yeah! ^_^

Hello Everyone. . . so there is not much to post this week.

I am fighting a cold that appears to have got worse yet again today. Now I have a cold that seems to be in my chest, but I am still working everyday of course. This stupid thing isn't going to get me down or knock me out for the count!

Today I ate at a very good Italian buffet restaurant with a friend before work. It had like fifteen different salads that were all very delicious. I had pasta, bread, vegetables, dessert and ice cream. It was about maybe around 18-20 USD a person but for the food and everything not bad.

Work is work, and maybe I seem a bit less enthused this week or down or something, but I think a lot of it is the cold and lack of sleep. I really do enjoy the kids and teaching though and think do a pretty good job of appearing cheerful and energetic with them. I am starting to get to know the kids more and they are starting to get to know me better I think too.

Other than that I finally sent my mom and dad's box in the mail this morning. I bought a Korean drama (miniseries) for them on DVD, not cheap with English subtitles. Apparently it is a famous one called Winter Sonata and it is the reason I didn't end up sending it till today. I watched the first ten hours of it out of twenty and was pretty into it but my computer is stupid, and doesn't work right. I just sent it. . . but it was kind of nice being able lto watch something in Korean and actually able to understand the story. I'll have to finish it when I go back to the States at some point, it was pretty intense and sad like a lot of Korean dramas. This drama, in particular I guess is very famous in Japan and a lot of Japanese women came to Korea to get plastic surgery to look like one of the actresses in it. Korean dramas have a lot of influence in Asia, I guess and women from other Asian countries come to Korea to get plastic surgery to look like their favorite actresses. Kind of crazy ~ so anyway that took up some time this week.

I also wrote a paper for the heck of it last Saturday about the Japanese occupation years in Korea. I am very fascinated by that era and that is how that got started.

Okay, I need to sleep so I can get well now!

What a Difference a Day Makes!

Do not ask me why, but today was much better than yesterday even though I didn't sleep the best last night and had a terrible nightmare this morning.

Last night I decided I needed to send my first package home to my parents with stuff from Korea. So last night and today I gathered stuff together and I am not done yet. So far I have ready to go: two notebooks with lots of Konglish on them that are very cute, a full size Korean flag that I got as a present but cannot do anything with here, a lot of tourism stuff about Korea with big maps and Seoul's subway map, a church sheet from the Korean church that they give out every Sunday, a book, two bags of Korean chips (one is Shrimp like french fries and the other is squid flavored peanut balls). Tomorrow I am going to buy some of the coffee mix to send to that I drink. I am going to try tomorrow also to find a some Korean dramas on DVD with English subtitles (I don't know if that is possible, if not I'll just buy them a CD.) I want them to experience the Korean Drama though and Korean culture that is so popular here in Asia. They are going to get my package and think that I have turned Korean!

This makes me very happy that I am doing this and that they are going to come and visit me in May! ^-^

Maybe a Little Homesick Today.

Yes, today I felt a little homesick, I am not exactly sure if I had a reason to be or really if I am homesick or not. Last night I sent an email update out and the more I stay here the more I feel like I am losing touch with people. Not many people respond anymore except maybe one or so. This makes me feel a little sad sometimes, but I get past it. I don't know if it would be worse to have my inbox full of replies with people telling me about what is going on their lives or to hear nothing. Everyone is busy though. . . I guess.

I have my own life here in Korea and don't have time to keep my mind in the US or would that be healthy. Not that I want that. . .

Forgive me on this post, I am not exaclty sure what I am trying to express or say just need an outlet to write something to anyone who has the internet and finds this, haha!

Nothing changes after one day. . . it is a PROCESS!

I am beginning to believe this phrase more and more as my life continues to take shape here in Korea.

(Before I go any farther, Ardilla, I posted a response to your comment attached to my last post. Sorry if it doesn't make sense I was trying to do the Spanish thing, but it ended up being not so much.)

Okay, now I will continue like I stated before that I cannot change as a person overnight, it is a process. I am beginning to find that it is difficult to change yourself and what you have known and have believed in for so long to adapt better to a culture. I am not talking about changing the core person or my core beliefs or anything like that those will always be the same. I am talking about small things like differences in work life between Korea and America and the different expecations and boundaries. Not that I have much to any experience of work life in the States, but let me be frank that it is still hard sometimes for me to adjust to this adult life of working. Not to mention doing it in a foreign country where there are many differences. I feel like I have changed a lot to adapt and grow and all of those things, but the more and more I go the more I find that I still need to change to do better. For example, I have to change somethings about me and maybe also have the courage to talk to my coworkers about how I feel. I would say within the last two weeks it has really started to bother me all the gossip that goes on at work about other teachers and me. It is like it never ends and they want to know everything about my life and for me I am screaming "isn't there a boundary between work and personal life here?!" maybe not. Anyway, especially since the new teacher came and they all think we would make a good couple. I don't know if she likes me or not, but she definitely isn't my type and someone I would really ever go for. This is just one example though of where I feel frustrated and don't know what to do. Fortunately, though I have gotten to the point where I can keep my emotions enough in check that no one at work really knows how I feel about all of these things. . . I try to keep pretty neutral, except in class when I am smiling and trying to make it fun for the kids.

I have to say God has really blessed me in Korea with friends and providing me with the wonderful Korean church. I went today and once again 95% of the songs were in English too just for me on top of the Korean words. Then in the small grouup I feel very comfortable and able to be honest and feel supported and can grow in my relationship with God with all of them. Anyway, today maybe I feel bad about complaining to much about the work issues and I need to try harder, etc. I also talked about how I need to probably take care of myself better since I feel very hungry 70-80% of the time. It is my fault, I just need to eat more, and motivate myself too even when I am stressed and my mind is pyscho! Anyway, but I feel like we all are sharing things that we really are dealing with and can pray for each other with, I find it very comforting. Even though most of it is in Korean they still do a very good job of making me feel included and part of the group.

After I got done with that tonight I went out to dinner with another guy at church that I didn't really know super well yet. He is five years older than me, but no big deal we went to a Korean hamburger place, but like American style. We shared two, so we each got a half of the most delicious like double cheese burgers I've ever had. But I was starving because all I managed to eat all day up to that point was a banana and a piece of bread. Anyway, then we went to McDonalds and had Sundaes at maybe the most fancy McDonalds I've ever been at, we sat in leather chairs. We talked about many things and shared many things about each other and then prayed at the end at McDonalds for each other before I left. I thought that was pretty cool and now have another good friend to add to my list.

So, before you are think I am starving myself or something crazy like that I came back to my neighborhood on the subway and went on a food frenzy. I bought 11 tangerines/oranges in the street market, then I ate one. I went to the small convenience store and bought two bigs of potato chips and some more coffee mix. Then I came back here maybe ate two more oranges, finished the soup I made last night and ate a bag of potato chips. I am really going to try harder this week to not feel so hungry all the time because that is not good.

Tomorrow starts another crazy week.

So far my new book The Devil Wears Prada is going well and I am entertained by my flying through the pages.

In other news about the girl who I was supposed to meet on Saturday??? Who knows, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe she'll call or email again, but I am not going to really spend time fussing over it. Part of it could be her and part of it could be Korean culture, a little too confusing for me to try to figure out.

I will try to start taking more pictures again, maybe. . .

Zahir by Paulo Coelho is the latest book I have read and number three for this author since being in Korea. I have to say this book was a little bit too weird for me and really didn't like the story or could relate to any of the characters. It has a lot of the classic ideas that are in all of Coelho's books like that we all should challenge the rules of life and society that we just 'accept'. Also, this book was about a rich author who lived in Paris whose wife left him. It is about her becoming his "Zahir" his obsession and his looking for her despite taking another lover and livng with her. (The other lover knew everything too and was okay with that.) It is about him having to find himself, and realize that he can only find her when the time is right and she isn't his obsession anymore. The problem is I guess that maybe this book is all about the potentiall magic abilities that we all possess and that love is the ultimate energy from the Woman Diety. Personally, I don't believe any of that and the point of the book is not to change your beliefs but at the same time it was almost too much at times. The ending was interesting too because after this man's long journey spiritually, emotionally, and physically he finds his wife after two years half a continent away and pregnent. The ending is like they are both happy about this and like a blessing for them and the journey they have both been on. What a bunch of crap. .. . definitely be very open minded if you are going to read this book.

Call me a little bit crazy, but I have a date tomorrow with that girl I met on the subway maybe a month ago on the subway. Well, we definitely have been in contact and maybe for a couple of weeks now have been talking on the phone maybe for an hour every day or every other day. I feel so strange and the age thing is not an issue for me. She finally agreed to meet me tomorrow and at the least I can say I think we are both nervous and excited about it. We are meeting at a nearby place from me and she wants to walk around the pretty lake that I have been to and ran across before. It will be like 30 F outside, but okay hopefully after that we can eat or get some hot chocolate at least. I feel a little bit crazy about the whole thing and maybe hoping this turns out well and we meet for a second time. I'll let you all know how it turns out regardless, I think at the least we'll be good friends.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Saturday - this appointment has been postponed.

This post will be in green font, like the green soju bottles that we drink here in Korea. I have definitely gotten used to it and can stand it, but it is now 3:25 AM here in Seoul on Thursday morning. I got in at 2:45 for the second time this week and did not even drink that much tonight. I have to admit I had fun on Monday night with the new girl from Lousiana but tonight not so much. We had a dinner/celebration for the girl from Canada who is leaving on Friday. Which I agree is something we should do, but I need more time to recover. Soju and even beer I just didn't feel like drinking much and it didn't taste that good. Plus, I find out tonight that since I talked to the new girl a lot on Monday night and find her to be a general nice person. Also I had to watch her especially since my boss said so since it was like her second night here and I did I think a good job, it has caused gossip. The main Korean teacher was like "so what happened after that? You can tell me." So, now they think I slept with her, I am not that sleezy I am sorry I would not sleep with someone after knowing them after one and a half days. They are like she is the same age as you, she has a pretty face, you look cute together I must want her and need that connection because I am lonely and in Korea. But also I don't even find that to be professional or a good idea to have that type of relationship with another teacher at the same academy as me. Also, I am interested in someone else right now, and I hint at that and no one seems to believe this. But tonight like I said I didn't drink that much or tried very hard because I didn't want to and couldn't (I never want to drink that much with them) but it is like I am looked down at if I don't drink a lot. It is Korean culture, so I try to make up for it in other ways by pouring the drinks for my boss and peoiple in true Korean culture, but it is still like I should be a real man and a strong drinker. I hate this and feel like it isn't healthy. I am not super loud either and very talkative around my coworkers still, it isn't my style, so they think that I have to drink to be more outgoing and loud. But the truth is that even after I've had a lot to drink, I am still almost forcing myself to be more outgoing. But I don't know why this still is a problem because I have improved greatly at academy and in my teaching ability. No one worries about me anymore, and I just do my classes but I am not like these great girl teachers that they have had who are very loud and outgoing, like the new girl from Louisiana. I have my own style, I try to be tough but find that balance of having fun too because if I don't they will all hate me and still get nothing done. I feel like most of the kids respect and like me, so that is good even if it is different from maybe the girl teachers before. I also don't cuss at the kids, try to be overly rude with them, or let my feelings come out about who I like and don't like. I try not to not like any of the students and be more optimistic and have a positive attitude about things. So, work is work and still causing me some stress sometimes and grief, but that is part of it.

Today I bought The Devil Wears Prada to read to really help me understand that my job isn't that bad.

Sorry for the random rant on things, I really do like Korea though.

I don't know why, but the one milk brand that I actually like and drink here in Korea is called Denmark Milk. It is the only milk that I can find that tastes like the milk I know and I cannot find it anywhere, I have to go to Lotte Mart the huge supermarket that is always packed and full of crazy Koreans. I have only had it once, but today I went despite the freezing weather and snow and bought some milk. And now I just want to drink it all down in one day, and I was never a huge milk fan! I also bought some packaged beef to cook in the spaghetti tonight because that is the only place that I can really find meat like that. So, I invited three of my best friends here in Korea and only one came and I am not sure if he liked how I cook pasta. I even had a bottle of white wine and it was okay.

Part of this post was deleted by this blog's administrator.

'There is more things going on, but I feel like those are not for this post are it is too soon still to bring them up. Stay tuned!

Hmm. .. so I feel an urge to post something, but really have no other direction other than that.

For those of you who get my email updates, you know that I was nicely surprised Wednesday with an extra day off to rest and relax before I had to go back to work today. I ran, wrote a long letter to my grandma, bought some home items, cooked, and watched TV, and also talked on the phone. It was very good and I have to say felt happy to be back at home!

Today at work I was expecting to have a new Korean woman teacher, but instead there was no one. Only me, the main Korean teacher, my boss, and the guy that comes in after 7:00, it felt quiet today and a little bit empty. The new American girl teacher is coming to Korea on Saturday though, so she'll be at work on Monday. I have to say though it felt good to be back and teaching and seeing the kids, and today was a good day. Sometimes I find that the crazier I get within reason with the kids the more fun classes go as long as we get some work done. I got to have fun sometimes, especially with the kids else I might go crazy.

Remember the girl that I met on the subway a while ago, well she called me again this week. Still kind of a mystery to each other I think, but we seem to have fun talking on the phone and stuff. I hope to meet her for coffee sometime very soon. . . I think she is having fun with it all. ^-^ hehe!

Taiwan!!!

I had a fantastic 4 nights/3 days jam packed trip in Taiwan over New Year's! The weather was a bit chilly at times, but Spring in relative terms compared to Seoul, my last full day it felt like Summer. It didn't even rain that much while I was there, which was a good surprise.

The first picture is me in Taipei with Taipei 101 (currently the world's tallest building) in the background. Taipei 101 is quit the sight and it sticks out in Taipei like no other since the next tallest building is only 50 something stories. It is even taller than the clouds at times, it does not even look real just like something floating in the clouds.

The second picture is of my friend Kung-Feng (Kevin), his wife Hui-wen, and me at Taipei 101.

Third picture is of me feeling the "Love" right by Taipei 101.

Like I said before I had a wonderful experience overall, except for one small incident. I saw a lot of new food, tried a lot of new food, including stinky tofu (not a big fan.) I went to one of the hot springs area, which was very relaxing. I got a glimpse of Taiwanese/Chinese culture. Taiwan and Korea are similar, but at the same time I definitely saw some differences between the two countries.

On New Year's Eve we went up into the mountains in a traditional tea drinking area for a good evening among friends. We could see the whole city including Taipei 101 and the three minute firework show coming from the building. Directly after the firework show I suffered some sickness of having too much fun, but I recovered nicely by the next day.

Happy New Year! I am happy to be at home here in Seoul, and have to go to work today to see the kiddos.