This evening, as I was heading toward Hongik University Station (Hongdae Station) on my way back to Dongdaemun, I came upon a large crowd in front of KFC. At first, I thought someone was performing, but then I saw several police officers in the mix. Most of the crowd was dressed in black and wearing masks. Upon closer inspection, I learned that it was actually a protest. A protest for freedom for Hong Kong at that.
It was great to see so many young people standing up for what they believe in.
Disclosure: This site contains some affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission from the companies, for purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you.
I had my first surgical procedure today (technically yesterday since it’s after midnight.) I wanted my bottom left wisdom tooth removed. It wasn’t hurting me or anything. It had grown in wrong and I just didn’t like it.
The staff at Bestian Medical Center’s Oral Surgery department were very nice. My surgeon spoke English which was super comforting. He was familiar with my home state of North Carolina. We talked about UNC Chapel Hill’s top rated School of Dentistry and pretty soon we were like best friends. He looked over my shoulder and read my texts, and even asked for details about one text. I have nothing to hide. If you don’t have trust you don’t have anything.
The procedure went well. Once the anesthesia kicked in my tooth was out in about 20 minutes. The root was anchored pretty tightly in the mandible so it took longer than expected. I drank so much blood. I could feel it splattering and running down the back of my throat. The doctor was sawing and yanking. It was interesting to hear my tooth snap, crackle and pop as he pulled and pried. It didn’t hurt at all, although I did give the distress signal a couple times when I thought he was about to break my jaw.
Once the tooth was out and the gum stitched, I hopped up and asked for my tooth. I wasn’t allowed to take it but I did snap a couple pictures.
After receiving the list of postoperative rules I went to registration to get my bill. It was pretty cheap. Only ?59,000. The prescription meds were ?2,000. Just a little over $50 total. My kind of prices.
I’m lying in bed now with an ice pack on my face. The prescribed painkillers are aweful. I think they cause pain instead of kill it. I was hurting so bad earlier when the anesthesia started wearing off. Thank God for Kathryn and Advil.
I so didn’t consider the consequences of having my tooth removed: I’m on a soft foods diet for the next few days. I bought fruit and a bunch of crunchy snacks the day before that I can’t even eat now. I guess I’ll survive on yams and eggs until I can chew again…
My experience with Bestian Medical Center was excellent. I highly recommend them. They’re located in Seoul near Hanti Station, exit 2. If you’re ever in Seoul and need some dental work done check them out. You’ll leave smiling like I did. Just be sure to stop by the pharmacy and grab some real painkillers if you want to continue smiling!
In two weeks my five month ESL adventure in South Korea will come to an end. All resignation paperwork has been turned in. My luggage is packed. I’m ready and waiting.
I never did experience the honeymoon phase of coming here and it still hasn’t quite settled with me that I’m actually in South Korea. Things started out on the downside within a week of my arrival, so it’s more of an eking out an existence. I’m just…here. Which sucks because I waited several years for this! I plan to make up for this disappointment though, once I decide on my next international destination.
Thankfully, these last few weeks are during the school’s summer vacation. There are no lesson plans and PowerPoint presentations holding me captive on the weekends, so I’m able to get out and do a bit of exploring. Since my coteacher is on vacation, I can venture about town before five in the afternoon on work days, after my first grade lesson, instead of being a prisoner in my apartment until after five.
I just finished up my last kindergarten class this morning. My kindergartners showered me with hugs, kisses, and “I love you’s”. I will miss them. They’re so sweet and incredibly cute!
My beautiful kindergartners and I posing during our last class this morning.
I’ll be saying my goodbyes to my Dochang boys after summer camp tomorrow, and repeating the process on next Wednesday with my Seomyeon kids.
I’m excited to be going back home while simultaneously dreading it. Of course I miss my family and friends, my car (and just being able to drive!), and the diversity of people and foods, but since I’ve had this international experience-the good and the bad- I know things just
aren’t going to be the same. I’m already feeling restless and I’m not even there yet!
Disclosure: This site contains some affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission from the companies, for purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you.
I set my mind on a financial goal before arriving in Korea, and I’ve been true to reaching it. I’m thankful for the financial discipline I have. I came here on a one year contract not aware of the bear trap I was stepping into. But you know what? It doesn’t matter! In 83 days, I will have reached my goal, in half the time anticipated, and will be headed to wherever I want to go that’s not Korea! Just imagine if I could stomach staying til I completed the year…Oh, well… I can get the same result putting simple principles to use. So no worries.
I started on a new book a few days ago. Here’s one of my favorite passages thus far from The Richest Man in Babylon:
“….Thereupon they agreed that it was so.
“Then,” continued Arkad, “if each of you desireth to build for himself a
fortune, is it not wise to start by utilizing that source of wealth which he already has established?”
To this they agreed.
Then Arkad turned to a humble man who had declared himself an egg merchant. “If thou select one of thy baskets and put into it each morning ten eggs and take out from it each evening nine eggs, what will eventually happen?”
“It will become in time overflowing.”
“Why?”
“Because each day I put in one more egg than I take out.” Arkad turned to the class with a smile. “Does any man here
have a lean purse?” First they looked amused. Then they laughed. Lastly they waved their purses in jest.
“All right,” he continued, “Now I shall tell thee the first remedy I learned to cure a lean purse. Do exactly as I have
suggested to the egg merchant. For every ten coins thou placest within thy purse take out for use but nine. Thy purse will start to fatten at once and its increasing weight will feel good in thy hand and bring satisfaction to thy soul.
“Deride not what I say because of its simplicity. Truth is always simple.”
Indeed. Truth is always simple. I’m asked how I’ve managed to save so much in such a short period. Same principle I held as a child- Don’t buy what you don’t need. Really simple.
I buy only what I need. Here and there a little trip or two to keep from losing my mind being in this town, but even then I try not to spend much. I don’t care much for a lot of hanging out with others, too expensive. I have a goal and I’m not about let anyone get me off track. So don’t get offended when I turn down invites. I’m on a mission to get my money and get out of here.
I can’t do as much as I’d like to being out in the distance, but when I get back to the States I’ll be ready to start the next task: “This, then, is the third cure for a lean purse: to put each coin to laboring that it may reproduce its kind even as the flocks of the field and help bring to thee income, a stream of wealth that shall flow constantly into thy purse.”- Arkad, The Richest Man in Babylon
Family, ATL- See you soon!
Disclosure: This site contains some affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission from the companies, for purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you.
It is Tuesday afternoon. I am sitting at a bus stop in the little town of Yukdan-ri. I have completed my day of teaching at Geunnam Elementary School.
Now, I’m just sitting here relaxing, reflecting. I’ve been on my feet, in flats, most of the day. It feels great to sit down and rest these puppies. As you can see from my photo, I don’t have very much to occupy my mind while I wait, naturally I start mulling over today’s events.
Taxi Fares
The taxi ride from Wasu to Geunnam Chodong Hakyo (Guennam Elementary School) wasn’t bad. It never is. It costs about 6,000 won (~$5.40) every time. The taxi drivers are pretty nice and usually don’t ask for the extra when the fare goes over 6,000. I sometimes get up to a 700 won break. It’s not much, but over time it adds up quite nicely. I’m all about saving money, so give me all the breaks you want taxi dudes!
MERS Health Check
Just as I entered the double doors, the school nurse and security guard stopped me. The nurse motioned for me to follow her back outside where she pointed to a sign on the front of one of the doors. My Korean skills are not up to par, so I stared blankly at the sign and nodded my head. Having no idea what was actually written on it. Calling on the mind reading skills I’ve developed since being in Korea, I knew it had to be about taking precautionary measures to avoid MERS. She pointed to her ear and motioned for me to follow her. The ear… temperature I figure. Okay, she’s going to check my temperature to make sure I’m fever-free. No problem with that. Gotta keep the babies safe. Off to the nurse’s office we went. She asked me to wash my hands…Scrub. Scrub. Scrub. Rub-a-dub-dub. All clean. I used the medical technique. She laughed. I stood facing her, waiting to see a thermometer. She looks at me and asks, “Have fever?” I give her a quizzical look. “Noooo,” I respond half declaratively, half questioning. She says, “Okay! Sign!” I scribbled my signature into an empty space on a name list….and that was the end of my medical evaluation for a deadly virus. Ohhh, Korea. Korea…
A typical school day
After that, since I had about fifteen minutes until my first class, I went to sit in the front office with the other teachers. I pulled out my trusty HP Stream and made sure all my lessons were still in working order. Fifteen minutes later, I was standing in front of about 20 wide-eyed third graders. All eager to learn some English- not really. After the dreaded How Many Dogs? textbook lesson, however, they were amped. We played a telepathy game. Kids here go crazy over telepathy games. Then, it was on to each of my other forty-minute classes: fourth through sixth grades. Not much exciting to talk about concerning them. We had our lessons; I scribbled all over the chalkboard. (I love drawing diagrams and pictures, and jotting down notes- I guess that comes from the scientist and artist in me.) We, of course, played games as is expected of the waygooks here.
A Nice Tuesday
After going over the class time by five minutes, I had to dash off to the cubby area in the next building to change out of my school shoes, and speed walk to the bus stop. Another pleasant Tuesday at Geunnam coming to a close.
Now, here I am. Waiting. I don’t mind this waiting here. It’s much better than desk warming.
It is Tuesday afternoon. I am sitting at a bus stop in the little town of Yukdan-ri. I have completed my day of teaching at Geunnam Elementary School.
Now, I’m just sitting here relaxing, reflecting. I’ve been on my feet, in flats, most of the day. It feels great to sit down and rest these puppies. As you can see from my photo, I don’t have very much to occupy my mind while I wait, naturally I start mulling over today’s events.
Taxi Fares
The taxi ride from Wasu to Geunnam Chodong Hakyo (Guennam Elementary School) wasn’t bad. It never is. It costs about 6,000 won (~$5.40) every time. The taxi drivers are pretty nice and usually don’t ask for the extra when the fare goes over 6,000. I sometimes get up to a 700 won break. It’s not much, but over time it adds up quite nicely. I’m all about saving money, so give me all the breaks you want taxi dudes!
MERS Health Check
Just as I entered the double doors, the school nurse and security guard stopped me. The nurse motioned for me to follow her back outside where she pointed to a sign on the front of one of the doors. My Korean skills are not up to par, so I stared blankly at the sign and nodded my head. Having no idea what was actually written on it. Calling on the mind reading skills I’ve developed since being in Korea, I knew it had to be about taking precautionary measures to avoid MERS. She pointed to her ear and motioned for me to follow her. The ear… temperature I figure. Okay, she’s going to check my temperature to make sure I’m fever-free. No problem with that. Gotta keep the babies safe. Off to the nurse’s office we went. She asked me to wash my hands…Scrub. Scrub. Scrub. Rub-a-dub-dub. All clean. I used the medical technique. She laughed. I stood facing her, waiting to see a thermometer. She looks at me and asks, “Have fever?” I give her a quizzical look. “Noooo,” I respond half declaratively, half questioning. She says, “Okay! Sign!” I scribbled my signature into an empty space on a name list….and that was the end of my medical evaluation for a deadly virus. Ohhh, Korea. Korea…
A typical school day
After that, since I had about fifteen minutes until my first class, I went to sit in the front office with the other teachers. I pulled out my trusty HP Stream and made sure all my lessons were still in working order. Fifteen minutes later, I was standing in front of about 20 wide-eyed third graders. All eager to learn some English- not really. After the dreaded How Many Dogs? textbook lesson, however, they were amped. We played a telepathy game. Kids here go crazy over telepathy games. Then, it was on to each of my other forty-minute classes: fourth through sixth grades. Not much exciting to talk about concerning them. We had our lessons; I scribbled all over the chalkboard. (I love drawing diagrams and pictures, and jotting down notes- I guess that comes from the scientist and artist in me.) We, of course, played games as is expected of the waygooks here.
A Nice Tuesday
After going over the class time by five minutes, I had to dash off to the cubby area in the next building to change out of my school shoes, and speed walk to the bus stop. Another pleasant Tuesday at Geunnam coming to a close.
Now, here I am. Waiting. I don’t mind this waiting here. It’s much better than desk warming.
