Parent / Teacher meeting

Today we met all of the parents and our students that will be starting on Monday. In March our classes with be full, but for the month of February we have smaller classes. Josh only has four students, and I have six, which a greeeaaat! We didn’t meet any of the elementary kids today who come in the afternoons, but I think we each have about six kids in those classes as well. The gathering went well. It started at 11am and we were there about 1 in the afternoon. All of the parents wanted to take pictures with us, but communication was rather limited since all of the parents are only able to speak a few words in English.

I have four girls and two boys in my class. They all have English names except for one, but he’ll have to chose one on Monday. The kids aren’t really given an option because the school requires them to adopt an English name while they are at Kid’s College. One of my little girls chose the name Stella. I thought that was a pretty funny name for a five year old Korean. Josh have three girls and one boy. One of his students, Min, is CRRRAAAZZZY. She was running all over the place today. She lived in California for a year, so she understands more English than the rest of the kids I think. Josh is better suited for over-active children because God knows he has so much more energy than I do.

This weekend we need to finish up our lessons for the elementary classes in the afternoons. I think our schedule is going to be pretty intense, but hopefully not anything we can’t handle. My students seem really sweet, and I am happy to have this month to get settled into a routine before my kinder class goes up to 12  students in March.

We are looking for a mountain to go hiking on tomorrow. There are tons of mountains within a short distance; the trick is figuring out how to get there. I will update you on how our first day goes on Monday.

Love,

Mandi

It’s a godsend! It’s a miracle!

It’s not quite a chi, but as you can see, I am quite happy about it! It works really well and was only $28. To top things off, I can plug it directly into the socket, which means there is no chance of me frying this baby!

I actually dislike this ironing board more than anything so far. I would go days without speaking any English if it meant that I could have a regular size ironing board. They also use really small brooms. They’re literally two feet tall and you have to bend over the entire time you sweep. I’ll post a picture one day.

Some things are the same here, like my pink gloves for doing dishes. I also brought enough Dr. Bronner’s for enough hand-washing for a couple of months anyway.

Our day

Nothing monumental to report. We spent the better part of the day at the school working to get everything ready for Monday. We will be there all day tomorrow as well, and Saturday morning we are attending a meeting with the parents, kids and faculty. Since the school is brand new, there is a lot more to do than if we had just been in an existing school, but they are also being really flexible with us, which is nice.

Unfortunately, I am feeling sick again. Though I don’t know if I can use the word ‘again’ because I never really was well inbetween. It’s ten ’til six and I am contemplating going to bed when I am done writing this little note. My immune system needs to get in gear!

Last night I made a list of things (not people, so no one get uppity) that I miss from home. Josh was frustrated that I already had a list started, but I assured him it’s only because I know that it will be over a year before I have these things. If we were just on vacation, there would be no way I’d miss any of this stuff, but when your mind knows that you are going to be deprived of certain things for over a year , well, that’s when the list start coming. So here they:

1. Our bed and bedding. I think this matress has fleas, though Josh swears it doesn’t. But I can assure you that its springs attack my rib cage, knees and hip bones while I am asleep. I have little bruises on my knees to prove it.

2. Cheese. Yes, I am finally cutting cheese out of my diet. Not out of choice, but simply becasue cheese is so expensive here. A small block of cheddar cheese at the grocery store is about thirteen dollars. It’s incomprehensible. They do have cheese pizza here, thank God.

3. Salads. I have plenty of veggies here, but they’re always cooked. I miss real lettuce with goat cheese and nuts and olive oil and vinegar.

4. Sea Salt. No one uses salt here. We haven’t even been able to find it.

5. French fries and potatoes in general. Rice – check. Noodeles – check. Potatoes – nope!

6. My hair stylist. Dalynn, come to Korea!

Josh pointed out that my the majority of my list has to do with food, so I said, “I’m a foodie, what can I say?” He replied, “No you’re not. You have to know how to cook to be considered a foodie.”

Well, then, I’m a foodie who doesn’t cook. How’s that? I am really content being here, but it helps me to adjust thinking about both places, here and our USA home. I don’t know if that’s normal, but it’s just how it’s working for me.

Love you, Mandi

Cha Ching!

We were able to exchange our traveler’s checks! Hurray! Maybe Josh will let me buy my hair straightener now . . . yippee!

Video on Facebook

I can’t get videos to upload on wordpress for some reason, so I posted a video of our apartment on facebook. Jeni, could you show it to Mom and Dad? Thanks!

Love you,
Mandi

I am mad at American Express

We have had basically no money for the past week because we were busy in Seoul, so couldn’t go to the bank and when we got back, everything was closed for the Chinese New Year. So today we went to the bank with Sunny to exchange some cash and some traveler’s checks. American Express traveler’s checks. We paid a fee to get these traveler’s checks, mind you, because we were told that they were as good as cash anywhere and that they would be replaced free of charge within 48 hours if they were stolen or lost. So we said, “Great. Even if we somehow misplace them in the move or what not, they can be replaced. Perfect in fact. We’ll take $500.00,” which was the majority of the money we were bringing over here anyway to live off of for a month. So we get here, our school opening is delayed two weeks, so our first pay check was delayed two weeks. No worries, we thought, because we still had lots of work to do at the school to get it ready for opening and it was great to get settled before starting, and we still hadn’t exchanged those wonderful traveler’s checks that are as good as cash.

Well, we go to the bank today, like I was saying before, and they won’t exchange our traveler’s checks. In fact, they said they would need to hold them for a month before they would give us WON for them. Are you serious? I was irate, as you can imagine. I called American Express as soon as we got back to our apartment and she says on the phone, “Well, we consider them as good as cash, but we can’t guarantee that everyone will.” What? How does that help me? I need a bank in South Korea to recognize my traveler’s checks.

Now tomorrow we are having to go bank hunting with Sunny to hopefully find a bank that will exchange our traveler’s checks. If they don’t . . . well, you know who I’ll be calling back. (dun dun dun dun)

In response to mandi’s gastronomical obsessions

In repose to gastronomical blogging

Since Mandi has taken this blog and turned it into a food affair, I thought I would counter her and give a little history lesson.
Korean history much like the ancient history of most countries is a combination of myth, lies, and mystery but what we seem to know as fact is that, in the 10th century B.C. several tribes from the Korean peninsula came together and formed the Gojoseon. The Gojoseon were invaded by the Chinese during the Han Dynasty and it wasn’t until the tribal states came together and under three strong tribes unified the country. After this period there seems to be much fighting amongst them, You know the deal about one guy thinking he is better than the other guy sort of stuff. The Goryeo regime that was birth out of these tumultuous times founded the Joseon Dynasty. The Joseon Dynasty ruled until the Japanese invitation and colonial rule. During this period a provisional government was set up overseas and with the surrender of Japan in 1945 to the allied forces the country was divided at the 38th parallel. It was thus under the will of the superpowers that Korea was divided. On June 25, 1950 North and South Korea went to war. The war went on for three years, the line that had become the front line during the war became the truce line and to this day divides the communist north with the democratic south. All things said I hope you now know a little more about Korea.

josh

Ash trays

I am on a cappuccino binge as many of you already know. I never really drank cappuccino that much in the States, but for some reason it brings me great comfort to have a cappuccino in the afternoon here. Every afternoon. It could possibly be the caffeine addiction bringing me comfort and not the thought of home that I keep thinking is the reason for drinking the cappuccino in the first place. That’s quite possible actually.

All the same, we are trying new places out because I have already driven Josh mad with “Angel-In-Us”, a chain kind of place that is slightly overpriced, but they have coupon cards where you get a stamp and after 10 specialty drinks you get one free. There are coupons, so we absolutely must go there. For the sake of Josh not quitting this little ritual that I started, I am going to different places, a few times anyway. Today we went somewhere with an Italian name (the people were not Italian, don’t be confused). The service was nice, so we stayed and decided to take our coffees upstairs. As soon as we reached the second floor, that smell hit me. Cigarette smoke. I walked around the room several times trying to find a table where I could smell the least amount of smoke as possible. It was ruining my experience already. I thought immediately of my Mom. “I can’t bring her here when she comes, that’s for sure!” My list of pros and cons had already begun of why “Angel-In-Us” is better than this place.

I endured and after the coffee went downstairs to use the restroom. I walked in, and there were ash trays on top of the toilets. Used ash trays with cigarettes still standing upward. I decided right then that I’m not going back there. It was tasteless.

PS: Angel-In-Us has a smoking section surrounded by glass so you can glare at the smokers, but not be botherd by their smoke. It’s a wonderful place. I’ll take you there, Mom, if you come to visit.

PSS: I know, I’m being an anti-smoke snobb. I’m sorry, I can’t help it! All contact-wearers are.

I’m tired of Holiday

More pictures of Daejeon:

A view from our window on a snowy, lazy, Chinse New Year Holiday:

Eeeeeeeeeel anyone? They really like their fresh seafood here. Or should I say, sea snakes? These were being proudly displayed outside of a restaurant down the road a little way from us.

Daejeon.

The seafood at this restaurant is displayed still alive outside in bins of water. We haven’t eaten here yet, but it looks interesting!

Snow and snow

Out for coffee in our many layers of clothes.

The girls here are brave. They wear tights ALL of the time, even when its freezing outside.