As I write you, I'm listening to Michael Jackson, the kid.... Amazing life journey, isn't it? I was fortunate enough to find a double cd of the essential MJ in a bookstore for about R114,00, a near steal, as I'm sure prices are gonna skyrocket worldwide now as everyone tries to get as much MJ as they can.
It is unbelievably hot here. Temperatures easily reach 27deg C by 07:30 in the morning, and continue to climb throughout the day. And to think, I was put off from working in the Middle East due to the heat! After Korea, I think I can handle the Mid East! Apparently, the ozone layer over Korea has been seriously depleted. I'm not surprised, especially when one considers the amount of waste and unnecessary use of plastic packaging. EVERYTHING gets sealed in plastic....even deodorants, condiments, like tomato sauce etc...the sealed bottles are wrapped in plastic, etc etc etc. Nice thing about the heat for the past 3-4 days, though, is that it has been hot and dry like CT summer, so easier for me to handle. And of course, staff room and classrooms are air-conditioned, so one only feels the heat when outside. But today, the humidity has started settling in, so sauna time again!
Last Tuesday, one of my colleagues - the lady who had invited me for supper 2 weeks ago - invited me to go hiking up the mountain before school Wednesday morning. I felt too bad to say no....so went walking with her at 5am the next morning, right to the top of the mountain! Needless to say, I was thoroughly exhausted for the rest of the week, right up until this morning (Sunday)! Don't mention how I could hardly walk for the next 3 days! Eina! But at least that means my body needed the exercise. She now wants this to be a weekly routine :( (I'm trying to find ways of getting out of it. My other Korean friends are thoroughly enjoying my dilemma - laughing at my pain. Bladdywell!)
Another Capetonian had invited me over to her place on Friday night for card games on the roof of her apartment building. She lives just outside Daegu in the opposite direction from me, so there was quite a bit of travelling involved, but I didn't mind, as the public transport system here is so efficient, that it's a pleasure after travelling SA's public transport system for so long. Everything just goes soooo much faster and regularly and on time! And it's cheap, to boot, even private taxi's. It was a beautiful evening, we sat on the roof and played cards by the light of the stars and tealight candles. Met some more people, including a nice girl from Puerto Rico, who is also working here as an English teacher. Nice thing was, 4 of us were Capetonians :) So it felt just like home.
I spent the night at the Regent Hotel again (now my favourite hotel in Daegu) and did a bit of shopping Sat morning before heading back to the country. I checked out another big popular department store, called Dong-A. And yet again, enjoyed shopping in Korea. Freebies, freebies. I bought vitamin supplements and got a free set of the latest food-storage technology in Korea. More facial freebies at Aritaum (cosmetic store), even though all I bought were some face masks - they have these paper/cloth face masks, pre-soaked in various treatments, which you place on your face, remove and dispose of. No hassle with tissuing off or rinsing hardened mask off your face :)
I just have to say, that although I have never considered myself a shopaholic - that's my sister's department, not mine - I have come to enjoy shopping in Korea! Many changes taking place in my life over here.....
Other than that, it's been a rather quiet time, and this week ahead is also gonna be quiet, thanks to exams, so I have tons of free time on my hands :) But after that, I will be working every weekend for the next 5 weekends on various English camps and teacher meetings, in addition to normal working weeks, even in the school vac. These kids don't get a break here. They have school in the school vac! What's up with that?
A normal school day already lasts until 5 or 6pm, daily late night study sessions till 10pm during normal school week, they also have a period 0 on their timetable for extra study - before 1st period of the day, plus extra period after school day for more study, plus some kids go to a private academy, called haegwon - after school, school every alternate Saturday, extra classes during school vacation.... Of course, the major focus is on maths, science and English. So for extra vac classes, my co-teacher and I will be teaching science in English! Of course, I'll have to study the science material before that, so it should be interesting - some of you will remember that at one time in my life, I wanted to be a scientist :). I also have to work on a short drama skit for the local county drama competition.
These poor kids are under so much school pressure, it's no wonder the teen suicide rate is so high here. But Korea actually beats the US with the level of maths and science at school. Anyway, I finish my last camp on Friday August 7th, and then hop on a plane to Hong Kong Saturday 8th! I'll be boarding that plane with a very big vengeance, I'm sure!!
So folks, that's all the news I have for you right now. A bit boring compared to earlier stuff, I'm sure.... But hey, I'm still communicating with y'all :)
Lots of love to all
Andrea
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