Some pictures for my curious family

Laundry day!

My apartment

Boredom at its finest!  I got some cool pencil crayons/crayons and went to town on my computer while in my office

 

And here are my new pens and pencils and my nonsense pencil case...if you figure out what it means let me know... apparently its a secret!  And how cute is the white out?!

 

My first week in Anseong!

So I've been here a week and it's nothing like I imagined! Whoever thought that the first place I'd live in would actually be smaller than my bedroom! Right now its Sunday, I'm eating popcorn while watching the Gilmore Girls episode that is on my lost Dvd :) and watching my clothes dry. This week went by so fast that I can't believe I'm starting my 2nd wk of school tomorrow. The last week started with me observing Kay teach her classes on Monday and Tuesday. In the morning I met the vps and the principal of the school who from what I gathered doesnt speak a word of English. We sat down in his boardroom of an office while he spoke for a long time with Mrs. Lee. She then turned to me to translate and said "He wants you to come in everyday this week to let him know you arrived ok." Apparently that's all he said. Then I observed Kay who also gave me a tour as we went along. Monday night, Kay and I went to meet up with a few other English teachers named Michelle and Lindy for some pork korean bbq (the green restaurant). I also ended up meeting Pamela and Maria (who totally helped me out while in the tdot). we then went to Armani for some delicious milkshake where we met up with Mezza and her son. It was a fun tiring night - I was still not over my jet lag at all.

I started teaching on Wednesday and taught gr 4 and gr 6, I don't have a co-teacher for gr 4 but I do for gr. 6. We're not really sure what his name is so we call him Suits because apparently he wears them often. He doesn't speak a lot of English - he's nice but sometimes he hits the kids with a stick! Yikes!
On Thursday I taught 80 excited Korean kids in one shot!! Then Kay and I went to Pyeongtaek with a couple of new Korean friends Song and her friend. We went to a Korean bbq and it was deeeelicious!! We then went to a photo room and let me tell you its serious stuff here. We dressed up in big glasses and hats and took funny pics which end up being stickers. I'll post them if I can.

On Friday I went to meet a few other foreign teachers at Armani and just hung out there for the rest of the night. I spent Saturday chatting at the PC Bong with whomever was up that late and walking around discovering Anseong. I came upon a dance competition in the park and watched that for a while and then I went grocery shopping.
On Sunday I spent the day indoors cleaning and doing my laundry. So that's how my first week has been, definitely better than the first day!!

 Anseong on the way downtown

Biryong Elementary School - without the 2nd building (Kindergarten, spec ed. gym)

Wow wow Wow! My first weekend in Anseong

So I am here in Korea!!!! Really I could just fill this whole post with exclamation marks.  What a culture shock!!  I am in Anseong...which is a small "town" or as Koreans like to say... the country.  I arrived in a jet lag stupor after a somewhat comfortable flight...its no BA.  I was picked up by Mr. Kim for a two hour drive to my school and apt.  As soon as he met me he said "Oh you look tired."  I did hear that Koreans were blunt.  He told me I could sleep on the drive.  I tried to stay awake to take in the views but I fell asleep.  We met Mrs. Lee (who also told me I looked tired) at the school and she proceeded to take me to my tiny apt.  I was like I like the model, wheres the real place?  Nope thats it...its that small.  Its a bit smaller than my bedroom on London Mist Court (sob!) with a square kitchen off of it.  its like a 5 by 5 ft kitchen...no joke.  Ill add my vid later when i figure that out.  I arrived on Friday and met up with the other foreign teacher Kay (my lifesaver).  She took me shopping to Emart to buy some necessities and out for a korean pizza (they like to put corn on it among other things).  I was feeling tired and homesick.  When I had landed I was like did I really just agree to not see my family for a whole year? A WHOLE YEAR! 
On Saturday (the next day) I met up with Kay, Paul (my predecessor) and his friend Jeff for lunch.  We walked to downtown Anseong...which is about a 10 minute walk.  How can I describe it?  Its a main road with a ton of alleys.  Pretty much packed with restaurants, bars, cute accessory stores, pc bongs (internet cafes) and other stores.  We walked to an orange restaurant and it was closed so we went to the red restaurant (awning colours :)) I don't know what the food was called...but it was delicious...we sat on the floor cooked chicken on the barbeque with a bunch of veggies and ddok (rice cakes).  Once the chicken was cooked you would put it on a lettuce leaf with a bunch of veggies and roll it and stuff it into your mouth.  I'm learning that really it doesn't matter how rude you look when you eat!
On Sunday, Kay went of to Seoul so I took the day to explore my area.  I woke up early to go the PC Bong to contact my family.  I went downtown and went into the first PC Bong.  The guy with shaggy hair looked up.  I said "One hour" while holding up one finger. He stared at me and looked back down.  Oook.  I stood there trying to figure out how I was going to communicate with him that I wanted to use the internet.  I looked back up because I hadn't left.  I pointed to the computers and air typed (I was good at charades). I figured since there were only computers in the place he could figure out what I was trying to say.  He just stared.  Should I make a run for the computers?  COME ON MAN!  He continued staring at this crazy foreigner. I considered pulling out my lonely planet korean phrase book.  But really I knew he just was not gonna get it. Frustrated I said..."so what! No? No computer!? Ok Forget it!"   I walked out back to the street and remembered seeing another PC Bong.  I walked over there hoping the next guy would have an idea of the business he was running.  Thankfully he did.  I walked in, pointed and was given a card.   At the computer I figured out what to do with the card.  Thank God for all the time I've spent in front of the computer because of the stuff that popped up I knew what they were asking and was able to press the correct Korean buttons!!  After almost 2 hours there for 1700 wons (about a dollar twenty!) I went to the daiso, the dollar store and bought some stuff for my pseudo-home. Then I watched the maaaaaany english movies on tv and passed out.  WHAT A WEEKEND!

T minus 2 days!!

So I'm off to South Korea in two days!!!! OH MY GOD!  They were right everything happened so fast.  I got my visa number when to the consulate had my two minute interview (not kidding)...it took me longer to leave the room after and now I have my e-ticket to leave on Air Canada (meh... its not British A) April 15th at 8 am (why so early!) and head to Seoul via Vancouver.  Apparently its going to be sunny the whole way there...which is cool because I hate flying at night.  I'm excited and starting to get sad.  I haven't finished packing but I'm trying to fit in everyone before I go.  SO HARD.
The last week has been awesome, stressful and busy!  Last Wednesday Sandy and Marina threw me a going away party at West 50 and they got me wicked rubber boots, a picture tree and a to be purchased pic of Kobo e-reader.  Yippee!  On Saturday was Marise and Sherif's wedding which was great!!  The dresses were great and it was really good to just party with everyone before I left.

On Sunday Maggie got me a cake for Sunday School and all the girls were really cute and we just hung out and they asked me a bunch of questions.  They were pretty excited to hear what I had to say...we ate cake and it was nice...and we took a bunch of pics... the silly one is my fave.
On Monday Lydia, Mark, Lillian and I went to the Harry Potter Exhibition at the Ontario Science Centre!! Where I was obviously placed in Gryffindor and got to see some really cool HP stuff.

Anyways today was such a busy day as I am still packing...thats right.  I went shopping, bought stuff I need and still doing laundry.
We'll see if I can pack it all!!

FRUSTRATED!

So I'm totally frustrated!  I just don't get why its taking so long for me to get my visa #.  It's been about a month since I sent it to Korea...and supposedly I'm leaving around April 15th.  And that's another thing. I mean...when will I find out the exact date I'm leaving?  I gave my boss two weeks notice and I finish Wed Apr 7 so really about 2 and a half weeks notice...b/c Im that nice...  :|  Anyways everyone's asking me when im leaving and I just don't have a straight answer for them... which sucks since I'm like leaving in 3 weeks...and then I have to explain how I don't know.  It just seems so last minute...and for people who know me they know how much I don't like last minute things... and how I tend to stress out.  Which I guess is something I have to get used to because apparently a lot of things are last minute in Korea. Great!  So I guess I'll be stressing to my fam over skype...whenever it is that I get over there and start using skype.  I'm excited...but still not really feeling its actually happening b/c I just don't have the deets I'd like to have.  Like...oh I don't know...when I'm going, what my visa number is.  I mean technically I still have to do an interview at the Korean Consulate and its cutting it pretty close. 
Ive started making a list of stuff I have to buy and pack but I haven't really done anything in that area... other than write a list.  I'm good at writing lists.  My family is letting me know how much they're going to miss me but I guess because i feel so lost about whats going on I don't really feel like I'm actually getting on a plane and heading to the other side of the globe.  Like really I should be totally sad about leaving...but I'm excited and anxious... just let it happen.  So my cousin Lillian found out she's having a boy (due in August) and unfortunately due to my grandma's death she pushed back her baby shower which she was having early just for me.  So I'm going to miss it.  Which sucks. 
Marise's wedding is fast approaching (April 10th) and I (phew) finally fit into my dress (double phew).  I'm excited but nervous...b/c I totally don't like walking down an aisle (even if its as a bridesmaid) with everyone staring at you.  Great now I just made myself nervous again.  I lost 15 pounds and hoping to lose 5 more by her wedding.  So hitting the gym extra hard this week.
Hopefully this week everything will get settled and I'll finally know...

Good Bye Tita!

My grandma Awojeny passed away on Friday, March 19th, 2010.  It was such a painful week for us and definitely for her.  There are no words to fully describe how much I love her.  She will truly truly be missed  and we are the legacy she left behind.  She was funny, spiritual and wise.  She had all her wits about her and never forgot anything.  I will miss you Tita!  She was in my life every step of the way...and always always prayed for me...by name... believe me I've heard it.  She is such a special person in all our lives and even though we can't imagine our lives without her I know she is in a much happier place with a new body and no more suffering.  Her 5 children, 12 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren and everyone tita touched will never ever forget her.
Rest in Peace Tita!♥


I also lost another very special person last January (2009).  My other grandma Marie (dad's mom).  She was such a wonderful person who always asked about me.  I could do no wrong in her eyes.  I was very lucky enough to have spent some time with her in Alexandria when I went to Egypt in December 08.  She was always optimistic and we spent so much time having heart to hearts and just chatting together, her in her hospital bed and me sitting on another.  I knew she was in so much pain and winced every time she was moved but she never complained and she was always dignified.  She was sooo funny and always called us bata or ota.  She endured a few hardships like losing my grandfather, stroke and losing my uncle and watching my dad get sick and she kept strong for us all.   Tita I miss you and I know you will welcome Tita Awojeny with open arms and show her how cool and amazing heaven is.   

Ups and Downs

So… its been quite a few weeks or so since I last blogged and let me tell you a lot has happened.  First of all I have waited quietly, patiently for the visa number to arrive from Korea.  Then I decided to ask them when I would find out when I would be leaving to Korea so that I could give my boss two weeks notice.  Anyways Cindy (the really nice lady helping me with my visa) told me oh yeah don’t worry you’ll be leaving around April 10th.  So I reminded her that I had a wedding that weekend and that I couldn’t leave before that.  Anyways the school or the Korea rep (who was copied on the emails) quickly responded that the school could not wait that long and that it was possible that they might get another teacher who could start April 1st.  UM! I thought that was the whole agreement!! I could not start til April 15th and the school (with email proof) responded that they could wait til then…so why were they going back on their word?!  I started freaking out not sure why things changed!  And if it wasn’t for me asking the question when would I have found out?

So for about a week and a half Dan and Cindy have been emailing them back and forth and I’ve been pretty much just waiting to hear if I was going or not.  I felt kind of stupid just assuming that all was good to go.  It’s true what they say about assuming…  Finally today they told me that the school is willing to wait for me even though “I’m late”.  If I were the type of person who would send an angry email…well they’d have heard an earful, but I’m not so I’ll just seethe alone over here.  So now Im waiting for my visa number and my flight details.

Anyways on a more sombre note, my grandma (mom’s mom) is really sick in the hospital.  It started out with her falling on Wednesday and breaking a rib to her getting pneumonia and ending up in critical care.  We’re not really sure what happened and if she actually has pneumonia (she does have an infection) but she’s having a lot of trouble breathing on her own.  The whole family has gathered together day and night at the hospital and waiting and praying together.  In her own way tita gathered the family.  We are now just waiting…and praying.  We know God will do according to his will.