This blog might ramble a little bit, so bear with.... it might be worth it though, so who knows.
Ok, imagine this... every morning you wake up, and before you walk out the door you put on this hat. And on this hat is a giant, three foot tall, wobbly dildo. Yes, that's right, a dildo. So you put on your dildo hat and go about your business. This is completely normal to YOU, it's who you are, you are dildo hat wearer. So out into the street you walk, and imagine the reaction you would get. People stop, they stare, the point, and they say something "dildo hat wearer!" Yea, so you get the picture? Welcome to my life, only instead of wearing a dildo on my head, I'm white. That's it. I put on my clothes every morning, walk out the door, and go about my business. And people stop. People stare. People point and say "waeguk" which I've figured out is some sort of rude word for foreigner. Welcome to my life.
On another note, I've taken up nocturnal strolling of the streets. Before you call my mom and freak out, South Korea is one of the safest places to be doing this, so no worries. Everything here is rockin late at night. The markets, stores, and street vendors are all open and doing business until about midnight or at least 11. So after work I come home, change my shoes, strap on my headphones, and head out for about an hour and walk to this pet store about a mile away. This pet store has puppies, and not only puppies, PUREBRED puppies. And they're cheap, like $150 cheap. I like doing this because after petting tiny animals like that, I'm feeling pretty happy. After my puppy petting is finished, I head home for the night, get some writing done, and head to bed. It's nice at night, the streets are all lit up, people are out and about and shopping, and everything just seems ALIVE. And to make it even more entertaining I listen to Johnny Cash while walking. There's somthing really funny to me about walking in the middle of a completely foreign country listening to "Get Rhythm".
School is completely awesome. These kids crack me up, they're the cutest little things and all day long I want to just pick them up and squish their little faces together. They can't really pronounce my name so it comes out more like Miss Eraser than Miss Raetzer. So I tried Miss Cartwright and that came out even worse, so Miss Eraser it is. I teach 6 classes a day, from really small kids to some in the 4th grade. I have one class that's all boys and two girls, and I feel so bad for these two girls. It's only my 3rd day with these boys and I already want to bring duct tape and just tape them to their desks. I think they're trying to see how far they can push me so today I look over the rim of my glasses and say "You. No goodbye" which to them is detention, and I shut them right up.
And such is life in a Monday night..... stay tuned
June 30, 2008
June 29, 2008
Weekend fun and "barber" shops
My first weekend in Korea has gone by EXTREMELY quickly, which is nice. A weekend of firsts, which was also nice.
I started my Saturday off with a trip to downtown Gwangju with two of the teachers, Melanie and Sophie. Mel kept talking about DVD bangs, which I'd never heard of. They're movie theaters, but you walk in, and on the shelf in front of you there are TONS of movies. You pick one, take it to the counter, pay $10, and then you get your individual little movie theater with couches and stuff. The movies here are all in English with Korean subtitles, which is awesome. Anyhow, we rent "Step Up", get some pizza at Pizza Hut (yes, Pizza Hut. Korean food makes my butt hurt.... baby steps) and settle in on this huge ass couch. After about 5 minutes it occurs to me... "people have sex in here don't they?" They sure do. But good movie. :)
After the movie we walked around a bit and I caught a glimpse of the Korean fashions. Korean fashions will be completely covered in another blog at a future date, because it's too much to go into right now.... We then caught a cab to Home Plus, which is like Meijer, only everyone is Korean, you can't understand any labels, and there is an employee standing there waiting to serve you every 15 feet. Oh yea, and when you go there, you pay 50 cents a plastic bag, for all the shit you bought that you can't understand.
After our adventures Sophie and Mel were pooped, and I ended up meeting up with Liz. Now Liz Huey reminds me to a T of Sarah Schmidt, so Sarah, I've found my equal here. Randomness and insanity ensued one Liz came over. Liz is addicted to dark chocolate, is from Vancouver, says "eh" a lot, and has a distinct dislike for Koreans.
Let me backtrack here.... Yes I've only been here 4 days, I cannot tell you how many times some completely random person has yelled HI at me. It happens all day, every day, countless time. So you turn around and say "hi" back, and the kids collapse into fits of giggles. These are mostly high school kids, so that should explain that.
So back to my story. Liz comes over, and we decide to WALK to Home Plus. It's about a 45 minute walk from our apartment. And it's about 10 at night. This trip was exciting, because at Home Plus I find tuna, apple juice, and eggs. Finding food that is considered "normal" to us is like a game here. Today I found Skittles in a 7-11. Yes, they have that here. On the way home from Home Plus the drunk Koreans are starting to come out in force, and Liz's response to the Korean HI is to either ignore it, say "you're stupid", or flip the bird. The bird was my favorite, because the teenagers aren't expecting it and stand there like assholes staring at you. My personal favorite the past few days has become random responses. HI, I say "cow balls". Hi, I say gorilla juice. And today I got the best one. I get HI and I turn around and say WHAT'S UP, only to see the kids turn and look up and the sky.
So today, Sunday, Jasmin learned about Barber shops. There are a lot of barber shops around here, with the spinning barber shop poles outside. I didn't think anything of it until today. Some places have ONE pole outside, first floor. This indicates an actual barber shop. Then there are other places, with TWO poles, usually above the first floor. This def does not indicate a barber shop, it means it's a brothel. So say you don't know this and go in for what? A haircut and a blow job? Yea, I didn't know that before today, and while walking today I see them EVERYWHERE. So yes, if you're in Korea and you need a haircut, be sure to go into the regular barber shop and not Haircuts and Whores...
On a not so cool note.... animals are not very well liked here in Korea. There are stray cats outside my apartment, and I know some of the teachers feed them. Last night I heard kittens outside so they have them SOMEWHERE, but we can't find them. On the way home today from walking I passed by this bif hedge and on the other side you can hear dogs barking so I say "Oh look Liz, dogs!" and she said "You don't want to know what's over there". There is a dog restaurant about a 5 minute walk away from my apartment. She said not to go down the side street, they keep them caged right outside and tied up and people eat them.
And so goes the first weekend in Korea
I started my Saturday off with a trip to downtown Gwangju with two of the teachers, Melanie and Sophie. Mel kept talking about DVD bangs, which I'd never heard of. They're movie theaters, but you walk in, and on the shelf in front of you there are TONS of movies. You pick one, take it to the counter, pay $10, and then you get your individual little movie theater with couches and stuff. The movies here are all in English with Korean subtitles, which is awesome. Anyhow, we rent "Step Up", get some pizza at Pizza Hut (yes, Pizza Hut. Korean food makes my butt hurt.... baby steps) and settle in on this huge ass couch. After about 5 minutes it occurs to me... "people have sex in here don't they?" They sure do. But good movie. :)
After the movie we walked around a bit and I caught a glimpse of the Korean fashions. Korean fashions will be completely covered in another blog at a future date, because it's too much to go into right now.... We then caught a cab to Home Plus, which is like Meijer, only everyone is Korean, you can't understand any labels, and there is an employee standing there waiting to serve you every 15 feet. Oh yea, and when you go there, you pay 50 cents a plastic bag, for all the shit you bought that you can't understand.
After our adventures Sophie and Mel were pooped, and I ended up meeting up with Liz. Now Liz Huey reminds me to a T of Sarah Schmidt, so Sarah, I've found my equal here. Randomness and insanity ensued one Liz came over. Liz is addicted to dark chocolate, is from Vancouver, says "eh" a lot, and has a distinct dislike for Koreans.
Let me backtrack here.... Yes I've only been here 4 days, I cannot tell you how many times some completely random person has yelled HI at me. It happens all day, every day, countless time. So you turn around and say "hi" back, and the kids collapse into fits of giggles. These are mostly high school kids, so that should explain that.
So back to my story. Liz comes over, and we decide to WALK to Home Plus. It's about a 45 minute walk from our apartment. And it's about 10 at night. This trip was exciting, because at Home Plus I find tuna, apple juice, and eggs. Finding food that is considered "normal" to us is like a game here. Today I found Skittles in a 7-11. Yes, they have that here. On the way home from Home Plus the drunk Koreans are starting to come out in force, and Liz's response to the Korean HI is to either ignore it, say "you're stupid", or flip the bird. The bird was my favorite, because the teenagers aren't expecting it and stand there like assholes staring at you. My personal favorite the past few days has become random responses. HI, I say "cow balls". Hi, I say gorilla juice. And today I got the best one. I get HI and I turn around and say WHAT'S UP, only to see the kids turn and look up and the sky.
So today, Sunday, Jasmin learned about Barber shops. There are a lot of barber shops around here, with the spinning barber shop poles outside. I didn't think anything of it until today. Some places have ONE pole outside, first floor. This indicates an actual barber shop. Then there are other places, with TWO poles, usually above the first floor. This def does not indicate a barber shop, it means it's a brothel. So say you don't know this and go in for what? A haircut and a blow job? Yea, I didn't know that before today, and while walking today I see them EVERYWHERE. So yes, if you're in Korea and you need a haircut, be sure to go into the regular barber shop and not Haircuts and Whores...
On a not so cool note.... animals are not very well liked here in Korea. There are stray cats outside my apartment, and I know some of the teachers feed them. Last night I heard kittens outside so they have them SOMEWHERE, but we can't find them. On the way home today from walking I passed by this bif hedge and on the other side you can hear dogs barking so I say "Oh look Liz, dogs!" and she said "You don't want to know what's over there". There is a dog restaurant about a 5 minute walk away from my apartment. She said not to go down the side street, they keep them caged right outside and tied up and people eat them.
And so goes the first weekend in Korea
June 27, 2008
Dinner
Here's dinner. Don't ask what it is, I couldn't tell you. There's rice, obviously, and some sort of pork they boil in a pot and it just falls off the bone, it was GOOOOOD. The red stuff if kimchi, which I'm not going near (it's basically rotting and spiced cabbage.
The chopsticks are mine, I used them for the first time yesterday, and have now realized why Koreans are so skinny; it's because the food keeps falling off, and by the time you get it to your mouth you've burned lots of calories cursing repeatedly and clenching your hands together. But really, they were quite interesting to use.
Tommorrow I take my first trip downtown with two of the female teachers, Melanie and Sophie. We'll be going to Home Plus, which is the Korean version of WalMart apparently, where I will be buying peanut butter. Peanut butter is not happening here right now, but I'll hunt it down....
Today in Korea
I thought I would die today.... how you ask? By crossing the street. Apparently you have to (even on a ONE WAY) look in both directions. Then you have to calculate your speed of walking by the insane speed of the car coming at you... then? YOU RUN and PRAY! Safely, I made it.
I also tried some food today, I have no clue what it was though. It was in a bowl, there was rice, egg, and vegetables. Yes ma, I ate vegetables. Then I drank about 2 gallons of water to help with the spicy burn in my mouth.
Another bonus for the day? Jasmin bought a straightening iron.... one that actually works :)
Cheers
I also tried some food today, I have no clue what it was though. It was in a bowl, there was rice, egg, and vegetables. Yes ma, I ate vegetables. Then I drank about 2 gallons of water to help with the spicy burn in my mouth.
Another bonus for the day? Jasmin bought a straightening iron.... one that actually works :)
Cheers
June 26, 2008
Buckets and Korean Hangul
It just took me 20 minutes to log into this website... why? Because it's all written in HANGUL!!! And can I read hangul?! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! But alas, distaster averted, and here I am... in Korea.
I had completely no clue what to expect when I got here, which is good, cause it means there were no expectations for me to cry over. This place is absolutely so far removed from anything I have ever seen, I have nothing to compare it to. I'm going to have to get used to being stared at simply by walking down the street, and having little kids shout "Hello" at me just for the hell of it.
My mission tonight was to grocery shop. I walked into the store ready to go, be adventurous, and buy food. I walked out with some paper towels, a loaf of bread, some crackers, and a bucket. Shopping was a little harder than I thought. I'll try harder next time, but for now it's crackers, and strawberry jam sandwiches.
Some things that haven't occured to me before today
1) I can't turn on my Korean washing machine because I can't read the writing
2) Directions are out of the question, as the streets here don't seem to go in any particular order
3) I could turn on my gas stove, but I'd probably blow up my entire building
4) WHERE IS THE SLICED MEAT?!?!?!?!??!
5) On the corner of my street in a tank, there is a huge octopus. He is waiting for someone to buy him for dinner..... Me? I stopped and stared at him for 10 minutes, pretending I was at the aquarium.
6) My last name is REALLY hard to pronounce for Korean children
7) I like to bake, but nobody has ovens in Korea.....
All this and I've been here like 24 hours....
On a plus note, after buying my bucket and finding a bottle of bleach, I now have the cleanest floor in all of Korea. My bed is extremely comfortable. I have freezing air conditioning which is awesome. I bought a gallon of orange juice for like $1.50.
The pictures are of the apartment
June 21, 2008
All packed.... I think?!
Packing for a year-long trip is a daunting experience, as I am finding out.
I started with me opening my closet. Mind you, if you have ever seen my closet, it's a thing of both wonder and beauty. I love clothes, shoes, bags, hats, and other shit I never wear. I love it, I buy it, and it all now lives in my closet. So, here I am staring into the void of retail that is my closet thinking "what can I leave here for the next year?" And so starts the packing....
Into the suitcases go the shoes, shirts, pants, skirts, sweaters, belts, hats, and purses. I pick up the suitcase, and it rips out of my hands back into the floor with a resounding crash... too heavy. So I open it back up and start sifting. This process goes on FOUR TIMES!!!! Four times of opening the suitcases, weeding out more shit that I never wear, and putting it back into the closet. Those black and white wedges? Yea, they're nice, but I haven't worn them in a year. Back into the void of closet they go. 4 shirts in varrying shades of pink? I put 3 back, and pack 1. Do I need 2 pairs of the exact same jeans? Nope. On and on it goes....
Once the clothes are all sifted out, I manage to weed the shoes out the same way. Purses, I only packed three. I'm really quite proud of myself...
I can't believe I finally got all the packing done. It's weird, not knowing what you're going to be running into, and then trying not to pack everything you own!
Pictures and frames go into the carry on rolly bag, along with oma's blanket which I cannot sleep without. Sentimental things have to go too in case I get homesick. Pictures of friends, good times, and fun are all important, so along they come.
So after 4 hours of throwing clothes everywhere, having toiletries spread all over the bed like I'm having a free for all, and shoes missing pairs in every conceivable corner of the floor, it all fit neatly into 2 suitcases and a carry on. The best part? I have room left over and I can actually PICK UP the bags.
I have no idea what to expect on this trip. I cannot even begin to imagine what Korea is like, the people, the food, the smells, and the atmosphere. I'm sure it will be like nothing I've ever imagined. Am I scared? YEP. But I think the experience will make me a stronger person, and that I will have a great time and see many things I'd never be able to experience here in Cincinnati.
I started with me opening my closet. Mind you, if you have ever seen my closet, it's a thing of both wonder and beauty. I love clothes, shoes, bags, hats, and other shit I never wear. I love it, I buy it, and it all now lives in my closet. So, here I am staring into the void of retail that is my closet thinking "what can I leave here for the next year?" And so starts the packing....
Into the suitcases go the shoes, shirts, pants, skirts, sweaters, belts, hats, and purses. I pick up the suitcase, and it rips out of my hands back into the floor with a resounding crash... too heavy. So I open it back up and start sifting. This process goes on FOUR TIMES!!!! Four times of opening the suitcases, weeding out more shit that I never wear, and putting it back into the closet. Those black and white wedges? Yea, they're nice, but I haven't worn them in a year. Back into the void of closet they go. 4 shirts in varrying shades of pink? I put 3 back, and pack 1. Do I need 2 pairs of the exact same jeans? Nope. On and on it goes....
Once the clothes are all sifted out, I manage to weed the shoes out the same way. Purses, I only packed three. I'm really quite proud of myself...
I can't believe I finally got all the packing done. It's weird, not knowing what you're going to be running into, and then trying not to pack everything you own!
Pictures and frames go into the carry on rolly bag, along with oma's blanket which I cannot sleep without. Sentimental things have to go too in case I get homesick. Pictures of friends, good times, and fun are all important, so along they come.
So after 4 hours of throwing clothes everywhere, having toiletries spread all over the bed like I'm having a free for all, and shoes missing pairs in every conceivable corner of the floor, it all fit neatly into 2 suitcases and a carry on. The best part? I have room left over and I can actually PICK UP the bags.
I have no idea what to expect on this trip. I cannot even begin to imagine what Korea is like, the people, the food, the smells, and the atmosphere. I'm sure it will be like nothing I've ever imagined. Am I scared? YEP. But I think the experience will make me a stronger person, and that I will have a great time and see many things I'd never be able to experience here in Cincinnati.