A moment

It's Thursday, April 24th as I type this. It's the morning. It's the day before payday. Tomorrow after school, I'll be off to Gwangju (GOD willing). But today, I have a cold. Drat, it caught me too.

Before I forget, this past weekend was quite impromptu. Saturday found me spending the day in neighboring Wonju. It was nice being in church AND understanding everything that's going on. It was also nice to meet and be reunited with fellow-foreign SDAs. The late afternoon walk around Yonsei University campus was also nice.

Sunday morning was a short Korean lesson, then a trip to Gangnam (Seoul) to see Tracy one last time before she goes.

I'm slightly disappointed, but I understand. Originally, my "Friday school" was going to go on a field trip, giving me the day off. With this knowledge, I could leave for Gwangju this (Thursday) evening. Yet, with the ferry disaster that claimed about 200 lives--the majority being high school students--the government has ordered all field trips to be postponed/cancelled as an act of mourning. I'll have to come in Friday morning and leave for Gwangju in the early evening. You can say this is one of those "oh well" moments. Just go with the flow, since there's nothing you can do about it, other than control how you're gonna react to it. I was gonna go anyway, if it meant leaving Thurs. or Fri., just that Thurs. would've been better. 

Time to stop being selfish and offer a prayer for the families of the victims and survivors, for strength and comfort as they go through this horribly dark moment in their lives. I also pray for the survivors, that they don't feel guilty for being alive; to take this as a turning point to do something great in their lives, in honor of those who died. Please pray for all of them and their families. May GOD be ever with them during this time, and feel HIM closer than ever before. Amen.

Back in Cheonan, Pt. 1

This past weekend (April 11-13) I had set aside to visit the place where it all began: Cheonan. If you've read any of my posts from the time I was in Cheonan, you'd know this was the 1st place I started teaching, also the place I spent the longest amount of time (14 months straight). Every time I go back to visit friends, I feel like I'm coming home.

I didn't quite have that feeling of coming home this time around, though. There have been quite a few changes. Granted, most of the major landmarks haven't changed, but several others have. Makes sense. The last time I was in Cheonan was over 1 year ago, hence change is expected yet surprising at the same time.

I had to go to school with my carry-on bag, seeing I wasn't going to have time to catch the 17:00 bus from Wonju to Cheonan if I didn't leave for Wonju straight from school. I had it well hidden that no one asked until I whipped it out as I was leaving.

I arrived too late for the 17:00 bus, but was able to get the 17:25. If I'd taken the 17:00, I would've arrived at Cheonan by 19:30. With the 17:25 bus, I arrived at 19:10 or so. Hooray for serendipity!

First person I met was MJ, the only one I've ever seen graduate in my entire time with SDALI. She met me at the bus terminal and we had dinner at a Korean restaurant on the 5th (?) floor. Oh, the bus terminal is on the basement/ground level of a Shinsegae Department Store. 

Her husband came by to pick us up and dropped me at my hotel. I stayed in the Cheonan Business Hotel, somewhat near Cheonan Station, although not really. I didn't realize how scary this area was at night. I've never really been here before. I've been near, just not in this area. Let's say it's the kind of place where I, as a solo female, would feel very uncomfortable. There were a ton of hotels all over the place (in case some of you don't know, hotels/motels in Korea are known as "love motels" where you can even rent for an hour if you want). I got in to the reception desk. Ok, nothing too fishy here. The man tried speaking to me in English--and I tried responding in Korean. I think we understood each other pretty well. Into the tiny elevator up to the 5th floor (really 4th, but 4 is an unlucky number in Korea, like 13 in the States) and stepping into my room . . . oh, so inviting, so comfortable, so cozy, so . . . safe. Now I know I can hide here and be ok.

Well, more than ok. This room had more than what we get in a budget hotel in the States: a computer connected to the internet, a bunch of free toiletry samples, a shower/sauna + tub/Jacuzzi, and an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet (mind you, Korean breakfast, not Western) Mon.-Sat.! I don't know about the tv 'cause I never used it. Considering I paid 60,000 KRW ($57.81 USD/ 41.77 Euros) per night, I think it was a good deal.

On Sabbath, I found myself at the SDALI Cheonan Institute (not SeoCheonan) for church service. I was surprised to see a guy from my SDALI orientation there! When I was sent off to SeoCheonan, he was shipped off to Busan. Now I learned he was in the States for a year, got his Master's and is now a professor at a nearby university for the past 1.5 years. Way to go!

After church, it was lunch at Kate's house. It was nice to finally meet her husband. It was also interesting to hear from her what it's like in the early stages of pregnancy, since she's in her 1st trimester. What a surprise when her mother stopped by to see me too! Kate was our interpreter, since my Korean is lacking and her mother's English is nonexistent. Good times.

Then it was off to see Phil, one of my 1st students. We met at his pharmacy then he drove me home. They moved from where they were before, for his daughter's education. They live in a pretty good area. It's where I used to go to use the KEB bank. This is the BIGGEST apartment I've ever seen in Korea! 2 floors?! Wow! 

This is such a beautiful family; both Phil and his wife are sweet, down-to-earth people with hearts of gold. Their children don't know how blessed they are to have such parents (besides the fact that the girl is about 4 and the boy is about 1.5 years old).

At dinnertime, Phil and his family drop me off at the place I was to meet a group of my former students, whom I also consider friends (just like Phil, Kate, and MJ). Hooray for Sooway, HyoJin, Hojun, and Jimmy! Dinner, tea, and about 3+ hours later, we all went our separate ways. Fortunately, Hojun the gentleman dropped me off at my hotel. If there are any good single girls interested, I recommend Hojun! ^.~

On Sunday, it was a day with wonderful Eve. We had an early lunch at "With Spoon" family/all-you-can-eat restaurant. Then it was to her home and I met her 2 sons. Wow, motherhood really isn't easy; kudos to her. After her showing me her university where she's getting her Master's, dropping her sons at the library and home, she dropped me off at the bus terminal. It was an almost 2 hr. ride back to Wonju, then a 25 min. bus back to Hoengseong. By 20:00 I was home, unpacked and reflecting on when to return to see those I couldn't see this time around . . . and maybe see some of those I did see again . . . 

Alive in April

***Whoops, I honestly thought I already posted this. Well, here it is, 1 week later.***

Don't fear, nothing drastic happened to me. It's just that I couldn't think of a better title for this post. I just wanted to let you know I'm still alive and kicking, even when I don't write here every week.

I've got a half day at my school today (Thursday). The teachers have to go to some training in Chuncheon (춘천) right after lunch. I was told to go home. I've got some time, so I figured I'd write something here.

Last weekend (April 5 & 6), I went to Seoul again. Yes, I was just in Seoul (서울)/Bucheon (부천) the previous weekend, but this time was to spend some time with a friend who will leave Korea really soon--and probably for good. I left for Seoul right after lunch on Saturday to meet the friend I was going to stay with for the night. She had a few things going on, but no problem.

Sunday, we met up with our mutual friend who was leaving. We had lunch at a Mexican fast-food place called "Tomatillo." It was good. I wouldn't go there everyday, but I would like to go back. Although it was pricier than I expected. It was the 3 of us plus the one friend's husband and another friend who's about to give birth at the end of the month. 

After lunch, it was the 3 of us again and we went to the "Princess Diary" cafe, near Ewha Women's University. This is a cafe where you can get your coffee, tea, shake, whatever and try on a dress--most likely a wedding dress. They have several kinds of dresses that can be made to fit most body types--including Western body types. The dress I tried on was a bit tight, but that's 'cause I needed a corset. Well, the dress WAS the corset. I could get in, but you could tell it wasn't my size. Then again, considering that this is Korea, the land where I'll have to go to the men's section in order to find something that may fit me relatively well, I guess the dress was a success. If I go again, I'm definitely picking up another dress.

There were 2 dresses I liked, but either I was too curvy or it was only 1 size. So yeah.

I was contemplating about posting about this, seeing I didn't take my own pictures. The other 2 girls took tons of pictures, but I haven't received 1 yet. Then again, I'm not sure if I want to share such a picture on the internet . . . it'll have to depend on the picture.

I hear there's more than 1 in Seoul, but I don't know. Don't feel like looking it up right now.

I'll admit that this is an activity that's a bit too much on the girly side for me, but it was nice. Even I need those "girly moments" every once in a while.

Ah yes I almost forgot! I got to check out Costco in Sangbong (상봉동). It was Sunday night, so that's probably why it was so packed. They have both Korean and Western brand stuff. Not everything mind you, but enough. My friend and I went through it pretty quickly, considering I had to leave soon if I wanted to make it home not too late. Which I did. 

Now I know it takes 19,200 Korean Won ($18.57 USD/ 13.40 Euros) to get from Wonju train station to my home. Not bad at all.

I'm expecting my camera to come soon, so bear with me please. You WILL get to see some pictures.

Yes, I have a camera in my phone, but I can't send my pics to my email or anything like that because it's pre-paid. If I had a contract, I could.

Now, for this weekend, I'll be making my return tour of Cheonan to see a few familiar faces and spend some time with them. We'll see how it all goes.

Weekend of Reunions (29-30.March.2014)

It's Monday morning and I want to take a nap. I'm really tired, but it's a good kind of tired.

Saturday, I left home early to get to Yangpyeong English Village. This weekend was the annual Teachers' Retreat through the SDA Language Institute. Since Yangpyeong is about 30 minutes away, I haven't seen these people in a long time, and I'd like to know who was still around; of course, I decided to attend.

It was great worshiping with other  Adventists AND understanding everything that was going on. We even had a nice "Jeju Reunion", the 2 foreign teachers and I even saw the director again! I was surprised 'cause he was supposed to be in the States by that time. He's still going to the States, but in a few weeks. It was great. I even met a few other people, one being a girl who went to my university (Southern Adventist University) and is now teaching in Gwangju. I've never visited Gwangju before and this girl is going to leave by the end of this term (end of April). We exchanged contact info and I'll ask when may be the best time to come down.

Afterwards, I left to meet my friend and her husband in Seoul. Over an hour, several text messages, a few directions, and a friend's help later; I reached the restaurant where they were with other friends and joined them (didn't eat, already ate at the English Village before I left). So I went home with them and stayed the night.

Sunday was a crazy and disappointing, to a certain extent. What wasn't disappointing was meeting a mutual friend of ours, and spending most of the day together. What was disappointing was the wedding we went to and the meal we had together after.
Yes, my two friends were bridesmaids in a Korean wedding. That is not normal in Korea, because they don't use bridesmaids or groomsmen. Just the couple, and the couple's parents. But since the bride was a friend of theirs and she requested them to be there, it was done. So many things went wrong. We didn't know where the wedding was supposed to be. No one helped us get there. We took a taxi and the driver didn't know where the place was either. He had to ask, but fortunately he didn't charge us for the time we were waiting for him to figure out where it was (an honest taxi driver, yes they do exist).
To not give too many details, the bride basically used my friends for show in her wedding. Just like some may use peacocks or doves, this bride used my friends. In short, she (or anyone for that matter) shows that she has foreign friends, it's like she climbs a few rungs up the social ladder. She used my friends to show them off so she can be looked upon as way up there. This is very typical in Korea: things done just for show. Appearances are EVERYTHING here. Some may have to come to Korea to really understand the previous sentence. Others may not have to, because they understand this all too well.

Of course I didn't know the bride, but since my friends were going and I was there to spend time with them, by default, I had to go with them. For the actual ceremony, I stayed with my friend's husband, away from the ceremony. We were guarding both our and my friends' stuff. Needless to say, we were more than happy to leave. Normally there's an all-you-can-eat buffet at weddings (this one being no exception), but there was no way we were going to stay there. Hence we left to eat some place else, only to discover the food wasn't worth the price we paid.
It's an Italian Restaurant by Yangjae Station (양재역, Line 3, Orange Line) called  "6" Plate". This was the worst Italian food we've ever had in our lives. If you're in the area, beware. Who adds fish to olive oil? Who uses ketchup kimchi as tomato sauce? We weren't happy.

So yes, our Sunday was disappointing, but the fact that we were together spared us all.

I took the express bus back. Now I know: Seoul - Wonju = 1 hr. 20/30 minutes. From Wonju - Hoengseong = about 25 min. and from the Hoengseong bus terminal home is about a 10 minute walk. Good to know.