Reasons I Was Meant To Move To Asia:
1) Soup. Soup is one of my favorite foods, in general. Chicken soup, potato soup, chicken and dumplings, navy bean soup, tomato basil soup, black bean vegetable soup, corn chowder, and don't even get me started on chili. Since moving to Korea, I've had approximately 80 million bowls of soup. Korea (and other Asian countries) seem to be big on side dishes (banchan or 반찬 in Korean), and many meals start with a bowl of broth or soup. Every day in the school cafeteria there is soup - sometimes two options. Yummers.
2) Cartoons. I've liked Hello Kitty for a long time, but for that same amount of time my mom has loved that I like Hello Kitty. Thusly, I have entirely too many thing that are inappropriately covered or adorned with that beloved cat. Well, the trend continues in Asia out of necessity. Sophie (band teacher at my school) told me she went to buy a new toilet seat after she moved and couldn't find one without a cartoon on it. I love it… why not get a note pad, spatula, or baskets to organize your cupboard WITH CARTOONS ON THEM!?
3) FOOD Okay, I probably should've started with cartoons and then made #3 food, because I was about to make it chicken, but then I realized that donuts also needs to be on this list…. Anyway. I really like eating. There's always a ton of food around, and usually lots and lots of options (including donuts or spicy grilled skewers of chicken….. OR silkworm larva (번데기)). So yep, as much as it sucks paying a ton for string cheese or having to go to one certain grocery store that's out of your way because they're rumored to consistently have cilantro (mislabeled as hot pepper, but WHATEVER)…. the food situation over here is pretty awesome :)
4) Sparkles This sort of goes with cartoons, but not really. It's a little bit of a challenge to find things without sparkles on them. I love sparkles, so its like heaven here. However, I recently wanted a clip for my hair. A plain black barrette. No can do, baba-loo. The plainest one I could find was bright green. There were hundreds of barrettes with feathers, crystals, bows, cartoons (see reason #2), and other random things on them… and then three plain ones. I've seriously had to restrain myself on the streets of myeong-dong because there are so many excessively ornate cell phone cases for ridiculously cheap (like these. holy moly.). I like sparkles, and so does Asia. We were meant to be, apparently.
5) The violin Seriously, it's like everyone listens to classical music here. I think if you quizzed a random Korean person on the subway they'd know more orchestral rep than me. Partly because I didn't really pay attention in Music History, but also because they go nuts for classical music here. I mean, about half of my stand partners in my 7 years of youth symphony (NERD ALERT!) were asian. I've been to two Seoul Philharmonic concerts and a couple other classical concerts here in Seoul, and the average age of the attendees is SO much lower than in the states. Way to go, Korea!
Also, one of my violin teachers had a typed list of famous violinists that she took out during one of our lessons, pointing to each name and telling me if they were asian or jewish. No famous violinists were ever or will ever be anything BUT asian or jewish… according to her. That seems reasonable and not racist, right?
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
"Everything Happens For A Reason"
So, first of all, I am not in Hong Kong as I was scheduled to be.
This is why it came to be, and later you'll find out why I'm not crying tears of disappointment.
(background info: came down with cough and dull headache on Sunday)
Wednesday:
7:30am on day of alleged departure: stressful acquisition of taxi with suitcase in tow. seriously? you're going to yell at ME while you're blocking two lanes of traffic and I have a suitcase to put in your trunk. Into the back seat I flung my suitcase, crawling in after it. Becky followed. Squished and stressed, we made it to school.
7:50am: Visit to nurse's office. Wanted her to check my ear to see if it was infected or just congested. Woke up with a really full sensation in my right ear. She scheduled me an appointment for 10:10 just around the block.
8:30am: try to check in online to my flight that was scheduled to be at 8:50pm that evening. No luck. Uh ohhhhh. Write an email to my travel partners, alerting them.
9:00am: 5th grade arrives. we have anawesome rough class. WHY YOU NO PLAY ARTICULATION!? uff da.
9:45am: Sara (grade 5 teacher and travel partner) comes to pick them up and says "I got your email. I tried it too, and it didn't work because we bought them through a flight finder. I emailed you the phone number to call - it's our airline at Incheon airport."
9:50am: call airline at Incheon. Discover flight scheduled for MARCH and not January. (I'm a dumb dumb) Proceed to FREAK OUT. Call and ask about rescheduling. Costs are over $1,000 (tickets from seoul to hong kong are generally $300-500). Have a desperate need to pee.
10:15am: arrive at Dr.'s office. Am seen within 5 minutes. Visit with doctor lasts less than 2 minutes and is free of charge. She says "No infection. Membrane OK"
10:25am: return to school. Two Skype calls to Priceline and one email to Kayak later, I've cancelled my initial (incorrect) flight. Only a $25 charge. HALLELUJAH. Spend roughly the next hour and 15 minutes on flight finders trying to purchase a ticket around the same time but on a different airline. Find reasonable prices (similar to what Sara and Sarah paid). Input payment information. Price changes to nearly $1,000. Begin process over again. Same thing happens.
11:25am: Tell Sophie (band teacher, classroom neighbor who's been on flight finders to help me find replacement tickets) that I've given up. Email travel partners of disappointing news. Feel like a ninny.
The rest of the school day passes.
5:45pm: take a taxi, solo, with my suitcase… back to my apartment. Not a walk of shame, a taxi of disappointment and shame (half joking about the shame.)
6:30pm: Quick visit to pharmacist in my apartment building. He gives me some tea and pills. sweet.
7:00pm: taxi with Jen and Charlie to Meyong-Dong for Jen's laser eye surgery. Drink weird tea mixed with green tea while Jen gets her eyes sliced open. Pressure on ears increases. Sleep most of the way home in the taxi.
11ish: back in my apartment. In incredible pain. Resist tylenol, because I'm sort of dumb. Try dropping warm olive oil in my ear and resting on my side for 7 minutes. Some relief comes, but not enough. Try laying on a steaming towel. Same result. Call father in tears. (I could not survive without Skype credit). Pops tells me to take the tylenol and mystery pill Jen gave me (which turned out to be sudaphed, thank the lawd above) and lay down with my painful ear facing up. I do just that, accompanied by a crappy netflix movie. Wake up every 15 minutes or so to popping or sliding noises in my ear, accompanied by painful and odd sensations. Sit up, tip head other way…. drain weird colored things onto my tshirt. excellent. I think I got about 4 hours of sleep.
9am Wednesday: Meg P (my downstairs neighbor and school art teacher) comes up to do Ear Candling on me. I wikipedia'd it… read it didn't work… but thought, "I've got nothing to lose, so why not". After that yields minimal and odd results, I decide to seek legitimate health care. Meg commits to accompanying me - BLESS HER. I call dad, cry some more (it's fine… I guess I cry a lot).
11:21am on Wednesday: In the waiting line at the Emergency Room at some hospital near by. This happens after a taxi ride to a closed hospital and two phone calls to my school nurse. While at the hospital we are tracked down and minded by many incredibly kind Korean nurses and doctors. Wait in an area, walk to get some X-rays, go back and wait in area. Random man comes and motions for us to follow him. Alright. Why not. We go up into a desolate part of the hospital (because it's a national holiday, the only thing open was the emergency room) and find an ENT doctor. Incredible. Seriously? all the lights off except in this office… nobody else up there… they must have called him in just to see me. He looks in my good ear with the image up on a TV screen. Takes a photo. Next up, bad ear - same thing. HOLY LORD MY RIGHT EAR LOOKS LIKE THE LAGOON IN PRINCESS BRIDE. He tells me I've got acute otitis medium, but also later says that it's severe. Perforation but no rupture, infection in the middle ear.
12:45pm: Meg goes with me to McDonalds (because that's what I want when I'm unhealthy, duh!). We walk home. I am now in recovery mode.
Total of $155 for an X-ray, ENT visit, and medication - Without insurance!
For the record, I do have health insurance… but the card is in english and I was at a fully Korean hospital, so that was NOT getting me far.
While Meg and I were nomming on our Spicy Chicken Fingers (Hell YEAH, Korea has those at McDonalds) she said "Seriously, though, everything happens for a reason. When you mistakenly scheduled your flight for March… this is why." and I stopped and thought about it. I'm sure we've all heard that phrase many times, trying to poetically legitimize shitty stuff, but seriously… there was a reason. I already am at moderate risk of hearing loss, and I can't imagine how awful and terrified I'd be feeling going through this in Hong Kong after FLYING with intense pain.
So that's why this is all okay.
Silver linings.
I get to be lazy without guilt.
I get to legitimize renting iTunes movies (because I only do that when I'm sick).
I get to recover at my own pace.
I get to maybe keep my hearing?
I get to save my monies.
I get to go on an eating adventure around Seoul! Once I'm recovered, Melinda and I mapped out some yummy Korean and International restaurants that we normally wouldn't seek out.
Everything happens for a reason.
And seriously, big thanks to the Korean health care system for being FREAKING AWESOME. I had such anxiety going into this situation. Google translate only does so much (and you best believe I DID use that resource.)
Even bigger thanks to Meg who went with me and figuratively held my hand through all of this - even when they vacuumed out my ear! It was scary to think about going to the hospital by myself with a potential language barrier but she came with, calmed me down, and monitored everything going on. It was invaluable to have her along with me. In the international community, we really do become a family. Baby-sitting for new mothers so they can be prepared for their in-laws' arrival, cooking meals for new mothers, shepherding each other to laser eye surgery, loaning CostCo membership cards to each other (because all white people look the same, I guess), moving each others mattresses down to the main floor when stairs aren't doable…. I work with some great people and am lucky to have them as family, especially when I've got such an incomparable family back home. Standards are high in my life, and Korea and my friends/family aren't disappointing.
:)
P.S. this is a photo of a normal ear drum:
and this is a photo of MY ear drum (after it had been vacuumed out.) You can see some blood/discharge coming out of the tiny hole on the lower right. Because it was in video, I could see the discharge moving with my heart beat. Weird.
This is why it came to be, and later you'll find out why I'm not crying tears of disappointment.
(background info: came down with cough and dull headache on Sunday)
Wednesday:
7:30am on day of alleged departure: stressful acquisition of taxi with suitcase in tow. seriously? you're going to yell at ME while you're blocking two lanes of traffic and I have a suitcase to put in your trunk. Into the back seat I flung my suitcase, crawling in after it. Becky followed. Squished and stressed, we made it to school.
7:50am: Visit to nurse's office. Wanted her to check my ear to see if it was infected or just congested. Woke up with a really full sensation in my right ear. She scheduled me an appointment for 10:10 just around the block.
8:30am: try to check in online to my flight that was scheduled to be at 8:50pm that evening. No luck. Uh ohhhhh. Write an email to my travel partners, alerting them.
9:00am: 5th grade arrives. we have an
9:45am: Sara (grade 5 teacher and travel partner) comes to pick them up and says "I got your email. I tried it too, and it didn't work because we bought them through a flight finder. I emailed you the phone number to call - it's our airline at Incheon airport."
9:50am: call airline at Incheon. Discover flight scheduled for MARCH and not January. (I'm a dumb dumb) Proceed to FREAK OUT. Call and ask about rescheduling. Costs are over $1,000 (tickets from seoul to hong kong are generally $300-500). Have a desperate need to pee.
10:15am: arrive at Dr.'s office. Am seen within 5 minutes. Visit with doctor lasts less than 2 minutes and is free of charge. She says "No infection. Membrane OK"
10:25am: return to school. Two Skype calls to Priceline and one email to Kayak later, I've cancelled my initial (incorrect) flight. Only a $25 charge. HALLELUJAH. Spend roughly the next hour and 15 minutes on flight finders trying to purchase a ticket around the same time but on a different airline. Find reasonable prices (similar to what Sara and Sarah paid). Input payment information. Price changes to nearly $1,000. Begin process over again. Same thing happens.
11:25am: Tell Sophie (band teacher, classroom neighbor who's been on flight finders to help me find replacement tickets) that I've given up. Email travel partners of disappointing news. Feel like a ninny.
The rest of the school day passes.
5:45pm: take a taxi, solo, with my suitcase… back to my apartment. Not a walk of shame, a taxi of disappointment and shame (half joking about the shame.)
6:30pm: Quick visit to pharmacist in my apartment building. He gives me some tea and pills. sweet.
7:00pm: taxi with Jen and Charlie to Meyong-Dong for Jen's laser eye surgery. Drink weird tea mixed with green tea while Jen gets her eyes sliced open. Pressure on ears increases. Sleep most of the way home in the taxi.
11ish: back in my apartment. In incredible pain. Resist tylenol, because I'm sort of dumb. Try dropping warm olive oil in my ear and resting on my side for 7 minutes. Some relief comes, but not enough. Try laying on a steaming towel. Same result. Call father in tears. (I could not survive without Skype credit). Pops tells me to take the tylenol and mystery pill Jen gave me (which turned out to be sudaphed, thank the lawd above) and lay down with my painful ear facing up. I do just that, accompanied by a crappy netflix movie. Wake up every 15 minutes or so to popping or sliding noises in my ear, accompanied by painful and odd sensations. Sit up, tip head other way…. drain weird colored things onto my tshirt. excellent. I think I got about 4 hours of sleep.
9am Wednesday: Meg P (my downstairs neighbor and school art teacher) comes up to do Ear Candling on me. I wikipedia'd it… read it didn't work… but thought, "I've got nothing to lose, so why not". After that yields minimal and odd results, I decide to seek legitimate health care. Meg commits to accompanying me - BLESS HER. I call dad, cry some more (it's fine… I guess I cry a lot).
11:21am on Wednesday: In the waiting line at the Emergency Room at some hospital near by. This happens after a taxi ride to a closed hospital and two phone calls to my school nurse. While at the hospital we are tracked down and minded by many incredibly kind Korean nurses and doctors. Wait in an area, walk to get some X-rays, go back and wait in area. Random man comes and motions for us to follow him. Alright. Why not. We go up into a desolate part of the hospital (because it's a national holiday, the only thing open was the emergency room) and find an ENT doctor. Incredible. Seriously? all the lights off except in this office… nobody else up there… they must have called him in just to see me. He looks in my good ear with the image up on a TV screen. Takes a photo. Next up, bad ear - same thing. HOLY LORD MY RIGHT EAR LOOKS LIKE THE LAGOON IN PRINCESS BRIDE. He tells me I've got acute otitis medium, but also later says that it's severe. Perforation but no rupture, infection in the middle ear.
12:45pm: Meg goes with me to McDonalds (because that's what I want when I'm unhealthy, duh!). We walk home. I am now in recovery mode.
Total of $155 for an X-ray, ENT visit, and medication - Without insurance!
For the record, I do have health insurance… but the card is in english and I was at a fully Korean hospital, so that was NOT getting me far.
While Meg and I were nomming on our Spicy Chicken Fingers (Hell YEAH, Korea has those at McDonalds) she said "Seriously, though, everything happens for a reason. When you mistakenly scheduled your flight for March… this is why." and I stopped and thought about it. I'm sure we've all heard that phrase many times, trying to poetically legitimize shitty stuff, but seriously… there was a reason. I already am at moderate risk of hearing loss, and I can't imagine how awful and terrified I'd be feeling going through this in Hong Kong after FLYING with intense pain.
So that's why this is all okay.
Silver linings.
I get to be lazy without guilt.
I get to legitimize renting iTunes movies (because I only do that when I'm sick).
I get to recover at my own pace.
I get to maybe keep my hearing?
I get to save my monies.
I get to go on an eating adventure around Seoul! Once I'm recovered, Melinda and I mapped out some yummy Korean and International restaurants that we normally wouldn't seek out.
Everything happens for a reason.
And seriously, big thanks to the Korean health care system for being FREAKING AWESOME. I had such anxiety going into this situation. Google translate only does so much (and you best believe I DID use that resource.)
Even bigger thanks to Meg who went with me and figuratively held my hand through all of this - even when they vacuumed out my ear! It was scary to think about going to the hospital by myself with a potential language barrier but she came with, calmed me down, and monitored everything going on. It was invaluable to have her along with me. In the international community, we really do become a family. Baby-sitting for new mothers so they can be prepared for their in-laws' arrival, cooking meals for new mothers, shepherding each other to laser eye surgery, loaning CostCo membership cards to each other (because all white people look the same, I guess), moving each others mattresses down to the main floor when stairs aren't doable…. I work with some great people and am lucky to have them as family, especially when I've got such an incomparable family back home. Standards are high in my life, and Korea and my friends/family aren't disappointing.
:)
P.S. this is a photo of a normal ear drum:
and this is a photo of MY ear drum (after it had been vacuumed out.) You can see some blood/discharge coming out of the tiny hole on the lower right. Because it was in video, I could see the discharge moving with my heart beat. Weird.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Part 2?
I believe I've written about this aspect of international life before, but I find it interesting and awesome… so whatever.
Being an international school school with mostly Korean students and Canadian and American teachers IN Korea, my school gives days off for Korean AND (some) American holidays. This week is 3 days for me, with Thursday through Sunday off for "Lunar New Year" (Chinese New Year?). I'm traveling with Sara and Sarah (Grade 5 and 4 teachers) to Hong Kong after an impulsive visit to KAYAK.com to check into airfare. Get this: I'm flying Ethiopian Air from Seoul… to Hong Kong. What?
So, I'm wondering… do I get to do New Years Resolutions again!?
Awesome.
As previously stated, I love me some goals and opportunities for reflection.
New Years Resolutions Part 2 begins on… Monday?
Anyway, I've heard really wonderful things about HK and am pretty excited about exploring with some new friends :) We'll be flying out Wednesday at 9pm and landing around 11:30pm (with a one hour time difference), spend all of thursday, friday, saturday in HK, and then fly back to Seoul on Sunday. I can't wait for dim sum, chinese hot pot, celebrating Chinese New Year (sort of) in China, and getting a peak into a different culture!
What's been happening lately:
-Started our music for spring concerts (after waiting for them to be shipped here, agh!)
-Ice Trekking near north korea. So fun to get out and not see signs of civilization. A bit odd to walk on a frozen river for a couple hours, but whatever. Beautiful weather, and I got to learn about the Korean version of ice skating. Instead of standing, they sit on sleds and scoot around, moving themselves with pokey sticks. We had races and relays… good times were had.
-I've started watching The Bachelor. I know, right? It started out as more of a social thing - Just watching it because one of my coworkers hosts a ladies night every week where we get tougher to eat, chat… and watch the bachelor. But I think even if I couldn't make it to Ashley's on Tuesday nights… I'd still watch it on Hulu on my own. WOOPS. Rumor has it this weeks episode includes a date in Seoul! WHAT THE HECK!? THATS WHERE I LIVE!
-I am sick for the first time since coming to Seoul. Felt sort of run down on Friday evening… and by the time Sunday afternoon came around I was down for the count. Missed a half day of work on Tuesday (my today) in order to get some more rest. Hopefully I'm feeling better and can fully enjoy Hong Kong!
-I'll be starting an online reading class through Hamline University (St. Paul, MN!) next week that is required in order for me to get a 5 year teaching license in MN.
-Countdown to Honor Festivals have begun. 14 days to high school and 33 days to middle school. which means 40 days until concert week at my school. Uff da.
Being an international school school with mostly Korean students and Canadian and American teachers IN Korea, my school gives days off for Korean AND (some) American holidays. This week is 3 days for me, with Thursday through Sunday off for "Lunar New Year" (Chinese New Year?). I'm traveling with Sara and Sarah (Grade 5 and 4 teachers) to Hong Kong after an impulsive visit to KAYAK.com to check into airfare. Get this: I'm flying Ethiopian Air from Seoul… to Hong Kong. What?
So, I'm wondering… do I get to do New Years Resolutions again!?
Awesome.
As previously stated, I love me some goals and opportunities for reflection.
New Years Resolutions Part 2 begins on… Monday?
Anyway, I've heard really wonderful things about HK and am pretty excited about exploring with some new friends :) We'll be flying out Wednesday at 9pm and landing around 11:30pm (with a one hour time difference), spend all of thursday, friday, saturday in HK, and then fly back to Seoul on Sunday. I can't wait for dim sum, chinese hot pot, celebrating Chinese New Year (sort of) in China, and getting a peak into a different culture!
What's been happening lately:
-Started our music for spring concerts (after waiting for them to be shipped here, agh!)
-Ice Trekking near north korea. So fun to get out and not see signs of civilization. A bit odd to walk on a frozen river for a couple hours, but whatever. Beautiful weather, and I got to learn about the Korean version of ice skating. Instead of standing, they sit on sleds and scoot around, moving themselves with pokey sticks. We had races and relays… good times were had.
-I've started watching The Bachelor. I know, right? It started out as more of a social thing - Just watching it because one of my coworkers hosts a ladies night every week where we get tougher to eat, chat… and watch the bachelor. But I think even if I couldn't make it to Ashley's on Tuesday nights… I'd still watch it on Hulu on my own. WOOPS. Rumor has it this weeks episode includes a date in Seoul! WHAT THE HECK!? THATS WHERE I LIVE!
-I am sick for the first time since coming to Seoul. Felt sort of run down on Friday evening… and by the time Sunday afternoon came around I was down for the count. Missed a half day of work on Tuesday (my today) in order to get some more rest. Hopefully I'm feeling better and can fully enjoy Hong Kong!
-I'll be starting an online reading class through Hamline University (St. Paul, MN!) next week that is required in order for me to get a 5 year teaching license in MN.
-Countdown to Honor Festivals have begun. 14 days to high school and 33 days to middle school. which means 40 days until concert week at my school. Uff da.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Resolve
Written on the plane from Minnesota to Denver, January 7th?
Usually I don't remember them by the time I'm watching the ball drop next December, but I always remember how i felt and what albums I was listening to when I was last breathing in the holidays. I've heard people say things like "I don't believe in New Years resolutions". I'm not here to pass judgement on those people or their statements, but I will be reflecting on my year that passed and what I hope will come. I think this comes from my love of being reflective and aware. I think that my affinity for goals, lists, reflection, and evaluation is what makes me a better teacher and human. So here goes.
In 2013 I:
Worked as a church youth choir director
Got a job immediately following student teaching.
Evaded speeding tickets!
Started paying off my student loans
Traveled to San Francisco with Maren
Discovered the joy of SkyZone
Got my skin eaten off by Mosquitos in the boundary waters. Sweesh yeah.
Moved to South Korea with 5 suitcases and my mom.
Long term subbed general elementary music in Minnetonka.
Paid bills in a foreign language.
Ate a short armed octopus. Not that bad....
Lost many people. Aunt Marvel, Anthony's dad, Danielle's mom, and both of Megan's maternal grandparents.
First semester of teaching - two concert cycles and only one crash and burn!
Played in the pit for a musical.
Subbed in my student teaching district.
Visited Charlie, Katie, and uncle Harold in Kansas City.
Took 5 test for my educational licensure.
Obtained licensure in vocal and instrumental music in Minnesota AND Iowa!
Took my youth groups self written show to St. Louis. Definitely a high point of the year.
Traveled to Tsushima and Tokyo.
Burped a lot.
Joined a choir in Korea.
Saw Beyoncé live.
Didn't go Black Friday shopping and didn't mind....
Got a lot better at miming.
Cried my way through a lot of goodbyes and hellos.
Missed playing the violin. Because that makes sense, as I spend most of my day making music.
Went to a Missouri synod Lutheran church.
Hopes for 2014:
No crash and burn it's my performances
Learn more Korean.
Experiment with looping and fiddling. For fun.
More regular assessment for my students.
Visit canada.
Boundary waters canoe area adventure part two!
Write letters.
Family and friends visits to seoul!
Read a book a month.
Buy a rotisserie chicken from the rotisserie trucks on the road.
Very incomplete, but that's where I'm at.
Always will be in transition and relatively incomplete... And I love that concept.
Resolve.
Make goals.
Try something new.
Recent happenings:
Purchased tickets to Hong Kong for lunar new year (4 day weekend, January 30- February 2)
Purchased tickets to Bali for spring break!
Look out, world! I'm comin for ya!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Happenings
Dearest peoples,
Life has been so crazy.
Concert week went remarkably well - some small setbacks/speed bumps but nothing to seriously fret over. I loved working with my colleagues Sophie and Melinda on our concert. We had a detailed schedule of who rehearsed in what place on what day with what ensemble - lots of people, places, and equipment to keep track of! The students I teach performed really well - I think some of my high schoolers may have had a legitimate "get the chills" kind of performance! Maybe. Just like teenagers back in the US, they can be slow to show emotion. I had chosen some music that wasn't especially challenging so we got to work on some music theory and understanding the pieces they were playing historically. We had our secondary concert on Wednesday evening and the elementary concert on Thursday morning. I needed so much coffee that week - I set personal records. Friday was a day filled with cookies and Netflix showings of Mickey Mouse's Christmas Carol and Peanuts Christmas cartoons.
I flew from Seoul to Tokyo, Tokyo to Chicago and was picked up by my best friend from high school, Megan, and her mom. When I landed, I spent a hot minute in the bathroom making myself look like a human again and then picked up my bags and went through immigration. When I handed the immigration officer my passport he said "how long have you been away?" to which I quickly replied "5 or 6 months". He said "Welcome back", stamped my passport, and let me back into America. It seems odd, but his welcome was so meaningful to me - one of the first interactions in 'murica and it was surprisingly personal and stuck with me. Next, I had to do something I hadn't done since high school - use a pay phone. Pulled some american money out of the ATM, got some coins at the currency exchange counter, and tried my best. It took a couple tries and a lot of buttons, but it worked!
Once we got connected, Steve, Carol, Megan and I went to see Wicked after some delicious Noodles and Company that I enjoyed with a Goose Island 312 (wheat beer is my jam). It was a great evening and I stayed awake almost the whole time! We woke up, packed the car, grabbed some starbucks, and hit the road. There was a blizzard forming, and yet we got home safely. It was surreal driving into my parents' neighborhood - I couldn't believe I was back on that side of the globe, let alone within 5 miles of my family. I hugged my parents each for 5 minutes... and once we got in touch with my brother we met up with him, his wife, and her brother for Smash burger.
I could recount the details of every day of my vacation in the US, but I think its better I keep those poetic and beautiful times in my head.. and not bore you to death :)
Returned back to Seoul with a couple bumps in the road and made it to my apartment around 2 am. Uff da!
Saw many performances - this varied program by the The Seoul Philharmonic (featuring the Sheng, a chinese mouth organ) and a Beethoven piece at Yeouido Full Gospel Church (the largest pentacostal congregation in the world). I also joined a chamber choir through Camarata Music Company. This company has two main singing groups - I performed this fall with the Chorale, their non-auditioned group. It's been great to meet people and make music together and I'm looking forward to achieving a higher level of artistry with the chamber singers in the next year. We rehearse monday evenings from 7-10, which makes for a long day (returning home around 11pm), but it really is great to get out of Nowon and work with other musicians ... and not be in charge. I spend all day making music and making decisions... it's nice to make music but not have to make the decisions :)
So much more has happened, and I need to write more about news years and other mental shifts, but time is so limited! More to come later!
Life has been so crazy.
Concert week went remarkably well - some small setbacks/speed bumps but nothing to seriously fret over. I loved working with my colleagues Sophie and Melinda on our concert. We had a detailed schedule of who rehearsed in what place on what day with what ensemble - lots of people, places, and equipment to keep track of! The students I teach performed really well - I think some of my high schoolers may have had a legitimate "get the chills" kind of performance! Maybe. Just like teenagers back in the US, they can be slow to show emotion. I had chosen some music that wasn't especially challenging so we got to work on some music theory and understanding the pieces they were playing historically. We had our secondary concert on Wednesday evening and the elementary concert on Thursday morning. I needed so much coffee that week - I set personal records. Friday was a day filled with cookies and Netflix showings of Mickey Mouse's Christmas Carol and Peanuts Christmas cartoons.
I flew from Seoul to Tokyo, Tokyo to Chicago and was picked up by my best friend from high school, Megan, and her mom. When I landed, I spent a hot minute in the bathroom making myself look like a human again and then picked up my bags and went through immigration. When I handed the immigration officer my passport he said "how long have you been away?" to which I quickly replied "5 or 6 months". He said "Welcome back", stamped my passport, and let me back into America. It seems odd, but his welcome was so meaningful to me - one of the first interactions in 'murica and it was surprisingly personal and stuck with me. Next, I had to do something I hadn't done since high school - use a pay phone. Pulled some american money out of the ATM, got some coins at the currency exchange counter, and tried my best. It took a couple tries and a lot of buttons, but it worked!
Once we got connected, Steve, Carol, Megan and I went to see Wicked after some delicious Noodles and Company that I enjoyed with a Goose Island 312 (wheat beer is my jam). It was a great evening and I stayed awake almost the whole time! We woke up, packed the car, grabbed some starbucks, and hit the road. There was a blizzard forming, and yet we got home safely. It was surreal driving into my parents' neighborhood - I couldn't believe I was back on that side of the globe, let alone within 5 miles of my family. I hugged my parents each for 5 minutes... and once we got in touch with my brother we met up with him, his wife, and her brother for Smash burger.
I could recount the details of every day of my vacation in the US, but I think its better I keep those poetic and beautiful times in my head.. and not bore you to death :)
Returned back to Seoul with a couple bumps in the road and made it to my apartment around 2 am. Uff da!
Saw many performances - this varied program by the The Seoul Philharmonic (featuring the Sheng, a chinese mouth organ) and a Beethoven piece at Yeouido Full Gospel Church (the largest pentacostal congregation in the world). I also joined a chamber choir through Camarata Music Company. This company has two main singing groups - I performed this fall with the Chorale, their non-auditioned group. It's been great to meet people and make music together and I'm looking forward to achieving a higher level of artistry with the chamber singers in the next year. We rehearse monday evenings from 7-10, which makes for a long day (returning home around 11pm), but it really is great to get out of Nowon and work with other musicians ... and not be in charge. I spend all day making music and making decisions... it's nice to make music but not have to make the decisions :)
So much more has happened, and I need to write more about news years and other mental shifts, but time is so limited! More to come later!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Assure
Just wanted to let you know that normal life is still happening in South Korea.
Not, like, my "I go on awesome adventures and speak in a foreign language and live in Asia" normal life... but my "I do laundry and work out and cook meals" normal life.
I think it could be easy to romanticize my experience of moving to a foreign country to start my career. Yes, I chose it for the adventure and opportunity to learn about myself and the world.... but I still do normal things here.
I go grocery shopping.
I work out in the morning.
I teach classes.
I grade assignments.
I celebrate birthdays.
I go to church.
I meet new people.
I clean my apartment.
I wash dishes.
I go to school meetings.
I send out way too many emails.
I sing and play the day away.
I dread making dinner after work.
These are all things I could have done in the United States.
I chose to do them somewhere with somewhat of a language barrier, surrounded by a culture other than my own..... but I'm still living a very normal life. It's not all solo sea kayaking, eating foods I can't identify (though I have done my fair share of that), plane rides, and "soul searching".
so, to those of you who I'll see in the states during Christmas time... don't be surprised if I'm still the same me. I'm still Emmalee, living a normal life... just a plane ride away instead of a car ride away.
Things I'm very excited for in the near future:
seeing my friends and family, duhhhhh
Chipotle.
USING MY OWN OVEN TO BAKE UP A GIANT STORM
Fairmount Avenue United Methodist Church
Clyde, Maggie, Yogi, and Snowflake (aka The Herd)
snow.
Target. I can't wait for Target.
The OK Factor CD release event!
Seasonal Starbucks flavors that don't seem odd to me.
Things I'm scared of in the near future:
my cell phone not working when I land in the US
driving a car. it's been a while.
jet lag.
Caffeine... especially in seasonal flavors not available in SoKo. That will help with Jet lag, but who knows what'll happen. I am a slave to sleep normally, having no control over where or when I'll fall asleep. This could be rough. However it turns out, everything will be awesome... because I'll be Home For Christmas.
Not, like, my "I go on awesome adventures and speak in a foreign language and live in Asia" normal life... but my "I do laundry and work out and cook meals" normal life.
I think it could be easy to romanticize my experience of moving to a foreign country to start my career. Yes, I chose it for the adventure and opportunity to learn about myself and the world.... but I still do normal things here.
I go grocery shopping.
I work out in the morning.
I teach classes.
I grade assignments.
I celebrate birthdays.
I go to church.
I meet new people.
I clean my apartment.
I wash dishes.
I go to school meetings.
I send out way too many emails.
I sing and play the day away.
I dread making dinner after work.
These are all things I could have done in the United States.
I chose to do them somewhere with somewhat of a language barrier, surrounded by a culture other than my own..... but I'm still living a very normal life. It's not all solo sea kayaking, eating foods I can't identify (though I have done my fair share of that), plane rides, and "soul searching".
so, to those of you who I'll see in the states during Christmas time... don't be surprised if I'm still the same me. I'm still Emmalee, living a normal life... just a plane ride away instead of a car ride away.
Things I'm very excited for in the near future:
seeing my friends and family, duhhhhh
Chipotle.
USING MY OWN OVEN TO BAKE UP A GIANT STORM
Fairmount Avenue United Methodist Church
Clyde, Maggie, Yogi, and Snowflake (aka The Herd)
snow.
Target. I can't wait for Target.
The OK Factor CD release event!
Seasonal Starbucks flavors that don't seem odd to me.
Things I'm scared of in the near future:
my cell phone not working when I land in the US
driving a car. it's been a while.
jet lag.
Caffeine... especially in seasonal flavors not available in SoKo. That will help with Jet lag, but who knows what'll happen. I am a slave to sleep normally, having no control over where or when I'll fall asleep. This could be rough. However it turns out, everything will be awesome... because I'll be Home For Christmas.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Tokyo, T.Gives, and Transitions
The school I work for didn't have school on November 28th or 29th - the staff (Canadian AND American) knew why, but some of our students had no idea why. American Thanksgiving!
I believe most of you know this about me, but if you don't…. I think it's important for you to know.
Thanksgiving (affectionately known as T.Gives in my life) is my favorite holiday. It's my favorite holiday for for many reasons.
1) Food. It totally operates around food. delicious food.
2) My bros and parents and I usually have a great time making pepperoni rolls or Christmas buttons while watching The Christmas Story :)
3) I love cooking for a ton of people
4) Black Friday happens the next day
5) It means its pretty much Christmas
Historically, #6 was Christmas At Luther, but that's no longer a direct part of my life :(
Anyway,
this year's Thanksgivings were a bit different, as I was in TOKYO!
I flew to Tokyo on Thursday morning, arriving in the city around 1:30pm. I met up with Connie and her family at their hotel. Connie studied abroad in the small town I was born in, and we were her host family. I knew Connie mostly when I was between the ages of 4 and 6, seeing her again when I was 8 or 9. Our meeting came about via Facebook - on Tuesday I saw that her posts were popping up on my newsfeed, coming from Tokyo. I messaged her, discovering that we'd be in the city at the same time, and we coordinated our plans to spend some time together. It was so wonderful to meet her daughter (who is now the age I was when I met Connie), and spend a holiday with someone who is like family to me. Though it had been many years, I still remember presents and time spent with Connie on holidays when I was very young. As Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, I was really nervous that I'd spend it alone with a bowl of ramen noodles, crying at the thought of stuffing and pumpkin pie. Definitely no tears, just lots of love and delicious food (from a different culture!).
After spending some time with Connie and her family, Sydnie met me at their hotel, and brought me to her apartment where I'd stay for the next three nights. Sydnie works at an international school in Tokyo, teaching band. It was so comforting and informative to spend time with someone who's going through many of the same transitions as me right now. We went to Luther, taking a lot of courses and making music together, so we had some great first year teacher conversations. We saw a bunch of different parts of the city, I met some of her colleagues (who will be stopping through Seoul on their way to New Zealand in two weeks!), spent a day at school with her, and tried lots of local cuisine.
Shabu Shabu Thanksgiving with Connie and Masashi
Sophie was tired after dinner and looking at Christmas lights
Ms. Reynolds in action!
Tempura lunch - yummmm
Sushi dinner
Conveyor belt sushi, so many delicious little fishes in my belly
WE FOUND THE MARIMEKKO STORE!
Visiting the Meiji Shrine
Traditional wedding at the shrine
Traditional bamboo flute/recorder group
wishes left at the Meiji shrine
4 Japanese students approached us at the shrine, offering to be our guide so they could practice their english.
Snuck a photo of the bride - look at her hair!
So, Tokyo was great.
It was refreshing to travel and see more new faces and places along with the comforts of friends and family from home. Spending time at school with Sydnie, meeting her colleagues, and learning more about another international school got my head in a bit of a different place. I hadn't really been thinking about international teaching or what's going to happen after my 2 year contract is up, but this trip sort of brought those topics up. I by no means have any answers, but I am sure that my heart and mind are much more open than when I left Minnesota. I feel stronger and more capable than ever before, which is exhilarating and meaningful. Perfect sensations and emotions to carry me through the last three weeks of my first semester as a teacher!
I think I had it somewhere in my mind that once I transitioned into my life in Korea that I'd be settled. I'd be established. I'd have a routine. I'd have a plan. Things would be similar and familiar as long as I stay here.
Definitely not true.
It's that time of year…. contract conversations are nearly completed for next year already. (I'm signed a two year contract, so no conversations for me… but this time next year I'll probably have made a formal decision.) Rumors, conversations, and announcements have painted an unclear picture of what next year will look like at my school. Many people are leaving, some for already signed contracts, and others just know it's time for them to move on and will be searching through the spring for their next position/location. I'm so happy for my colleagues who have made choices that are good for them, but it is a little hard to already know these people are leaving. Connections are a funny thing - time has a lot to do with how deeply people can connect and how much energy they're capable of putting into the here and now. It was easy to poeticize the idea of "live for today, because you don't know who will be there tomorrow" or other such sentiments when I was in Minnesota - but unless there was an act of god or illness, I knew I'd see most of my people again within the next couple weeks. Living the international teacher life, connections can be very temporary. I was eating Sundubu Jigae (google that deliciousness, if you haven't already) with Meg and Becky and we were talking about this. I confessed my recently recognized idea that I was done with transitions for a while now that I'm "established" in Korea… to which Meg responded "No, I thought that'd be true, too, but it seems we have actually entered a life of permanent transition".
I suppose the same could be said for life at home, and looking back, I think I often felt that way.
Maybe this is a transition into adulthood and permanent transitions, or maybe its a transition into international teacher life. Who knows.
Anyway, glad to be with the ones I am while I'm here.
Happy for those moving on, and looking forward to new faces and fun where ever I go.
Be back in the states on December 21st - can't wait to eat chipotle, snuggle with my cats, and see all my favorite people :)
But first….. two holiday concerts.
#LETSDOTHIS
or, as Ethan would say.
"And now we GO"
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