The past week and a half have been so dramatically different than our 3 previous months here.
We have been out pretty much every night, not exactly Belfast style, but just getting out of the house and enjoying adult English conversation.
With our new teacher B and my new best friend K - she's a girl from Michigan who we met a few weeks back by chance and we clicked instantly. She's Korean American teaching here and lives right near our hogwan so it's easy to just meet up with her. Plus, she's a fellow Gemini and you know how us crazies get on - anyway, with their introduction into our lives it feels a bit like we now have some...lives that is.
I suppose that was one of the biggest adjustments. Not having a social life and not being able to switch off from work. D and I did a good job on the weekends simply saying that on Friday night, no more school talk. But during the week, we couldn't help but moan a bit about our days. And we had holed ourselves up in our apartment, watching DVDs and not really venturing out during the week for fear exhaustion would kill us.
I suppose I feel a bit more tired since we have been out during the week but at the same time, I don't mind being tired as long as it's from enjoying life and not from stress, work and worry.
Last night I had a strange worlds-colliding moment as I met two of my dad's business associates out for dinner with a Korean business man who is working with them. I sat through dinner, happy to have a chat with a couple of dudes from Chicago. I watched them struggle..and succeed..with their chopsticks and thought of how many different countries and cities and cultures my dad has been through. He must have been just like them.
(Okay, well not EXACTLY like them with the chopsticks thing because for as long as I can remember, our family ate Chinese food with chopsticks. I grew up thinking everyone really already knew how to use chopsticks and even still find it odd when people ask if I know how. Then, I feel like I sound a bit pretentious when I say 'Yes. I've been eating with them for as long as I can remember. Now pass me my mallet Jeeves, it's time to play some croquet with William and Harry. I think Charles is sitting this one out however. And don't let old Lizzie in. She'll surely whip our posh derrieres.')
So I felt a bit closer to him all the way in Korea and made the two dudes promise to say hello and let him know I missed him and although they drew the line at giving him a big hug for me, they did promise to let him know that I was looking happy and healthy.
There is talk one of them wil be back in a months time and with a little presuasion (and I suppose work justification) I'm hoping maybe my dad will get back here with him.
Dinner was finished early enough that I headed to our 'local', this cheezy American-style place called Beer and Girls where D, teacher B and Korean Best Friend K were waiting.
It reminded me of so many times in Belfast on a Friday night, when I would be getting back late from work and D would already be out with the gang and then I would arrive a bit later.
It kinda felt just like that.
So I'm certain I've almost found my place in Korea. My comfort space. A way to call it home.
And somehow, that makes the kindergartens all that more cuter.
We have been out pretty much every night, not exactly Belfast style, but just getting out of the house and enjoying adult English conversation.
With our new teacher B and my new best friend K - she's a girl from Michigan who we met a few weeks back by chance and we clicked instantly. She's Korean American teaching here and lives right near our hogwan so it's easy to just meet up with her. Plus, she's a fellow Gemini and you know how us crazies get on - anyway, with their introduction into our lives it feels a bit like we now have some...lives that is.
I suppose that was one of the biggest adjustments. Not having a social life and not being able to switch off from work. D and I did a good job on the weekends simply saying that on Friday night, no more school talk. But during the week, we couldn't help but moan a bit about our days. And we had holed ourselves up in our apartment, watching DVDs and not really venturing out during the week for fear exhaustion would kill us.
I suppose I feel a bit more tired since we have been out during the week but at the same time, I don't mind being tired as long as it's from enjoying life and not from stress, work and worry.
Last night I had a strange worlds-colliding moment as I met two of my dad's business associates out for dinner with a Korean business man who is working with them. I sat through dinner, happy to have a chat with a couple of dudes from Chicago. I watched them struggle..and succeed..with their chopsticks and thought of how many different countries and cities and cultures my dad has been through. He must have been just like them.
(Okay, well not EXACTLY like them with the chopsticks thing because for as long as I can remember, our family ate Chinese food with chopsticks. I grew up thinking everyone really already knew how to use chopsticks and even still find it odd when people ask if I know how. Then, I feel like I sound a bit pretentious when I say 'Yes. I've been eating with them for as long as I can remember. Now pass me my mallet Jeeves, it's time to play some croquet with William and Harry. I think Charles is sitting this one out however. And don't let old Lizzie in. She'll surely whip our posh derrieres.')
So I felt a bit closer to him all the way in Korea and made the two dudes promise to say hello and let him know I missed him and although they drew the line at giving him a big hug for me, they did promise to let him know that I was looking happy and healthy.
There is talk one of them wil be back in a months time and with a little presuasion (and I suppose work justification) I'm hoping maybe my dad will get back here with him.
Dinner was finished early enough that I headed to our 'local', this cheezy American-style place called Beer and Girls where D, teacher B and Korean Best Friend K were waiting.
It reminded me of so many times in Belfast on a Friday night, when I would be getting back late from work and D would already be out with the gang and then I would arrive a bit later.
It kinda felt just like that.
So I'm certain I've almost found my place in Korea. My comfort space. A way to call it home.
And somehow, that makes the kindergartens all that more cuter.
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