5 months in...
Next week, when I go ice fishing, I'll be hitting the five month mark of my time in Korea. I think ice fishing is a good way to do it. I have to think of something really good for the six month anniversary.
I can't believe I've been here that long; I'm still in "This can't really be my life" mode.
I'm on dinner break now before my last class. Personally, I'd rather go straight through and leave an hour earlier, but whatever. Since we're doing those intensive courses I had 10 40 minute classes today, with an hour and half lunch break and 40 minute dinner break. It's not bad except it sucks up your day-- no time for the bank or any other errands. I'll be glad when we're back to a normal schedule.
This was a busy week but good. I'll give you a rundown of my typical packed week these days.
Monday, wake up at 6 to make a 7am private lesson. It's a business guy that lives about a 20 minute walk from me. We sit in his living room and he talks for an hour, with me interjecting any corrections. He mostly describes his accounting job and what's big in the accounting world. It's interesting. His son is going to UCLA and his other son is studying Chinese so we talk about them a lot as well. At 8 I leave, read or study Korean at Starbucks, and then head to school. I have three classes from 10 to 12:10. For lunch I head downstairs. The choices are a cheap-o Korean place, a nice sit-down Korean place, a bakery, or the convenience store. I basically have a rotation. I do bring lunch but I figured out that what I spend on ham, bread, and cheese, for every sandwich is about the same as a meal downstairs $1.50 to $2. Classes start again at 1:30 until my break at 6. I usually just have a snack so I can have dinner at home or out with friends. One more class, and home! Since all three of us foreign teachers live next to eachother we usually walk home together and often stop someplace to eat. There's tons of places in our neighborhood. You can get the most amazing meals here for under $5. We go out once or twice a week and the rest of the time I cook at home. Sometimes after work I'll catch a movie with Meghan or go window shopping with Kay. I also teach extra lessons some evenings from 8-10.
This Tuesday I got out at 5 so Kay took me to Yeoungdupo, a neighborhood 2 subway stops from us that's known for being lively with shops and places to eat at night. It was fun walking around. We went to her favorite Chinese restraunt which was fantastic and found a cool cafe to be bums at. I'll definitely go there again.
Wednesday was a long day because I taught a 7am and an 8-10 pm before and after school. I don't usually do that. Thursday Meghan and I went to a new place that opened by our house for dinner. It serves shabu-shabu which is delicious! They get a pot of broth boiling in front of you and you stew in vegetables, beef, and noodles. You pick chunks out with your chopsticks, dip it in oue, and eat. Good stuff.
Tonight a bunch of us from work are checking out a jazz bar in Hongdae and then I'm meeting other friends after that. Otherwise, no plans but I'm sure when I see everyone tonight something will come up. The museum here has a special art exhibit on loan from the Louvre, so we might check that out.
Everything's great. I hope you are all doing well. E-mail me and say hi!!! Love and miss you all, --MacKensie
I can't believe I've been here that long; I'm still in "This can't really be my life" mode.
I'm on dinner break now before my last class. Personally, I'd rather go straight through and leave an hour earlier, but whatever. Since we're doing those intensive courses I had 10 40 minute classes today, with an hour and half lunch break and 40 minute dinner break. It's not bad except it sucks up your day-- no time for the bank or any other errands. I'll be glad when we're back to a normal schedule.
This was a busy week but good. I'll give you a rundown of my typical packed week these days.
Monday, wake up at 6 to make a 7am private lesson. It's a business guy that lives about a 20 minute walk from me. We sit in his living room and he talks for an hour, with me interjecting any corrections. He mostly describes his accounting job and what's big in the accounting world. It's interesting. His son is going to UCLA and his other son is studying Chinese so we talk about them a lot as well. At 8 I leave, read or study Korean at Starbucks, and then head to school. I have three classes from 10 to 12:10. For lunch I head downstairs. The choices are a cheap-o Korean place, a nice sit-down Korean place, a bakery, or the convenience store. I basically have a rotation. I do bring lunch but I figured out that what I spend on ham, bread, and cheese, for every sandwich is about the same as a meal downstairs $1.50 to $2. Classes start again at 1:30 until my break at 6. I usually just have a snack so I can have dinner at home or out with friends. One more class, and home! Since all three of us foreign teachers live next to eachother we usually walk home together and often stop someplace to eat. There's tons of places in our neighborhood. You can get the most amazing meals here for under $5. We go out once or twice a week and the rest of the time I cook at home. Sometimes after work I'll catch a movie with Meghan or go window shopping with Kay. I also teach extra lessons some evenings from 8-10.
This Tuesday I got out at 5 so Kay took me to Yeoungdupo, a neighborhood 2 subway stops from us that's known for being lively with shops and places to eat at night. It was fun walking around. We went to her favorite Chinese restraunt which was fantastic and found a cool cafe to be bums at. I'll definitely go there again.
Wednesday was a long day because I taught a 7am and an 8-10 pm before and after school. I don't usually do that. Thursday Meghan and I went to a new place that opened by our house for dinner. It serves shabu-shabu which is delicious! They get a pot of broth boiling in front of you and you stew in vegetables, beef, and noodles. You pick chunks out with your chopsticks, dip it in oue, and eat. Good stuff.
Tonight a bunch of us from work are checking out a jazz bar in Hongdae and then I'm meeting other friends after that. Otherwise, no plans but I'm sure when I see everyone tonight something will come up. The museum here has a special art exhibit on loan from the Louvre, so we might check that out.
Everything's great. I hope you are all doing well. E-mail me and say hi!!! Love and miss you all, --MacKensie
posted by MacKensie at 1:23 AM
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