1 month in Ulsan, wigging out and Alexis the American
Other teachers have told me that time here passes quickly, and they're definitely right. Yesterday was my 1 month anniversary of arrival, and although it seems like I haven't seen all of you in forever, it also doesn't seem like I've been living abroad on my own for a whole month! It feels like college time did - although individual days could be long and arduous, looking back revealed a semester that slipped by before we knew it.
Adding hapkido to my schedule has certainly quickened the passage of time. Now I'm busy from 9:30 am until after midnight every weekday. Our halloween costume project has also been gulping down evening after evening. We're spending tomorrow (Friday) night finishing up the last bits of the lion, toto and scarecrow, and will be putting Dorothy and the tinman together then also. Nicole (very nice, Canadian, will take her black belt test in Gumdo on Saturday), who loaned us her apartment and sewing machine last Sunday, has inifinite costume design and execution ideas. We've taken to calling her the "costume guru" and are exploring printing a shirt for her to that accord. Thanks to her, the sexiness was accomplished and the lion will look more like a lion and less like a meal at the Roadkill Cafe.
Last weekend, while halloween costume shopping (again - but with success this time) we found ourselves in a wig shop, looking for a brown wig for Dorothy (who has changed from Phil to Patrick - "Patty"). As girls are wont to do in a wig store, we each tried on several styles and colors. And instead of leaving with a wig for Dorothy, we left with a wig each for Michelle, Kate and Alexis! One of the ones we bought would double for Dorothy, but we were going to get our fun out of it first. So - a week before Halloween, Michelle, Kate and myself donned wigs for a going away party (for people I didn't know) at Bench. I was nervous to do so at first, but after some liquid courage at Kate's pre-Bench, I put on my game face and headed to the bar... with a glossy, long, brown, curly wig securely fit onto my head. Michelle went blond and Kate was a burgundy/maroon redhead. Our arrival to a packed bar was any and everything we could have desired. Instant conversation and popularity, combined with admiration from other girls for our pluck and good taste in headgear. We had a wonderfully good time, and although Michelle's wig was pulled off once, and mine fell off while being dipped dancing Paedar's version of the cha-cha, we made it through the night without ill will or mishap ruining our lovely locks. We also reminded one another that Sunday was sewing day, so were able to get ourselves home by the comparatively decent hour of 4:30, after drinking water at the bar for over an hour.
Sunday was tedious, and our first real rain since I've been here. It was nice to have the rain, both because I love it and because we were stuck inside sewing all day anyway, so nice weather would have just tortured us. We worked and worked on our costumes and didn't make it home until around 1am. We also met a couple guys in the Airforce who were down visiting Nicole and Dee (writes for the foreigner paper, rock climbs, rides a motorcycle, very nice), who pitched in some with our costumes too.
Monday at Hapkido he went easy on us, which was nice after such a hectic weekend, and then at work I started teaching my new middle school class. That caused me to spend Tuesday looking up ways to get middle school students interested and involved, and also to find discipline ideas... they have a lot to learn about Alexis Teacher! Tuesday night was more late costume work, and yesterday, Wednesday was - BINGO NIGHT!
I love bingo night. I relish in being able to hang out with all the other foreigners and chat during the game. It's quieter than the bar is on weekends, but more busy than it would be during the week on an off-bingo night. People aren't as drunk, and intelligent conversation is easier to come by - plus, it's a way to meet and get to know new people, since on the weekends we tend to gravitate toward our friends who we haven't seen all week instead of making new ones. Last night I didn't win at all, but Kate and I shared the entry fee so I was only out $10. I was exhausted, so took off as soon as bingo was over (2am), but ended up talking to a friend until very late and only getting a few hours of sleep before my alarm went off at 8:45 this morning~ yes, I had to get up extra early and make myself presentable because my school was holding an 'open house' to recruit more students. Our enrollment needs to increase quickly so we can still bring in Gino and Andrea, and parading foreign teachers in front of prospective parents is the way of it. I asked yesterday if there was anything I should prepare to do or say, and was told by Grace (wonderful Korean co-worker who lived in New Zealand for 8 years and speaks great English) that all I needed to do was "show up, smile, and be a tall, pretty American." So I did, and then hurried to Hapkido, ran home to change, and then got a free lunch from the director out of it. After lunch (which was delicious!) we went to a coffee shop where they sell smoothies, and I had a mango one for dessert.
Now it's 4, I haven't had classes all day, and I'm sleepy. The only class I'm teaching is my middle school group at 8pm.... so I'll be twiddling my thumbs until then!
Cheers :)
Adding hapkido to my schedule has certainly quickened the passage of time. Now I'm busy from 9:30 am until after midnight every weekday. Our halloween costume project has also been gulping down evening after evening. We're spending tomorrow (Friday) night finishing up the last bits of the lion, toto and scarecrow, and will be putting Dorothy and the tinman together then also. Nicole (very nice, Canadian, will take her black belt test in Gumdo on Saturday), who loaned us her apartment and sewing machine last Sunday, has inifinite costume design and execution ideas. We've taken to calling her the "costume guru" and are exploring printing a shirt for her to that accord. Thanks to her, the sexiness was accomplished and the lion will look more like a lion and less like a meal at the Roadkill Cafe.
Last weekend, while halloween costume shopping (again - but with success this time) we found ourselves in a wig shop, looking for a brown wig for Dorothy (who has changed from Phil to Patrick - "Patty"). As girls are wont to do in a wig store, we each tried on several styles and colors. And instead of leaving with a wig for Dorothy, we left with a wig each for Michelle, Kate and Alexis! One of the ones we bought would double for Dorothy, but we were going to get our fun out of it first. So - a week before Halloween, Michelle, Kate and myself donned wigs for a going away party (for people I didn't know) at Bench. I was nervous to do so at first, but after some liquid courage at Kate's pre-Bench, I put on my game face and headed to the bar... with a glossy, long, brown, curly wig securely fit onto my head. Michelle went blond and Kate was a burgundy/maroon redhead. Our arrival to a packed bar was any and everything we could have desired. Instant conversation and popularity, combined with admiration from other girls for our pluck and good taste in headgear. We had a wonderfully good time, and although Michelle's wig was pulled off once, and mine fell off while being dipped dancing Paedar's version of the cha-cha, we made it through the night without ill will or mishap ruining our lovely locks. We also reminded one another that Sunday was sewing day, so were able to get ourselves home by the comparatively decent hour of 4:30, after drinking water at the bar for over an hour.
Sunday was tedious, and our first real rain since I've been here. It was nice to have the rain, both because I love it and because we were stuck inside sewing all day anyway, so nice weather would have just tortured us. We worked and worked on our costumes and didn't make it home until around 1am. We also met a couple guys in the Airforce who were down visiting Nicole and Dee (writes for the foreigner paper, rock climbs, rides a motorcycle, very nice), who pitched in some with our costumes too.
Monday at Hapkido he went easy on us, which was nice after such a hectic weekend, and then at work I started teaching my new middle school class. That caused me to spend Tuesday looking up ways to get middle school students interested and involved, and also to find discipline ideas... they have a lot to learn about Alexis Teacher! Tuesday night was more late costume work, and yesterday, Wednesday was - BINGO NIGHT!
I love bingo night. I relish in being able to hang out with all the other foreigners and chat during the game. It's quieter than the bar is on weekends, but more busy than it would be during the week on an off-bingo night. People aren't as drunk, and intelligent conversation is easier to come by - plus, it's a way to meet and get to know new people, since on the weekends we tend to gravitate toward our friends who we haven't seen all week instead of making new ones. Last night I didn't win at all, but Kate and I shared the entry fee so I was only out $10. I was exhausted, so took off as soon as bingo was over (2am), but ended up talking to a friend until very late and only getting a few hours of sleep before my alarm went off at 8:45 this morning~ yes, I had to get up extra early and make myself presentable because my school was holding an 'open house' to recruit more students. Our enrollment needs to increase quickly so we can still bring in Gino and Andrea, and parading foreign teachers in front of prospective parents is the way of it. I asked yesterday if there was anything I should prepare to do or say, and was told by Grace (wonderful Korean co-worker who lived in New Zealand for 8 years and speaks great English) that all I needed to do was "show up, smile, and be a tall, pretty American." So I did, and then hurried to Hapkido, ran home to change, and then got a free lunch from the director out of it. After lunch (which was delicious!) we went to a coffee shop where they sell smoothies, and I had a mango one for dessert.
Now it's 4, I haven't had classes all day, and I'm sleepy. The only class I'm teaching is my middle school group at 8pm.... so I'll be twiddling my thumbs until then!
Cheers :)
posted by pixelpulp at 1:36 AM
1 Comments:
hurricane nicolex...sorry dude i sucked on replying to the email.....glad to hear that you are doing well....good idea with the costumes and all....keep having fun and send me some more info on the "good" stuff that you aren't posting ;-)
love ya...stay safe
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